Seven Spirits Rewritten and Refomatted
by Digidramon
Summary: The rewrite of my original 5D's fic, redone in accordance with feedback from reviewers and my own dissatisfaction. Julian Mikuro fights the darkness of Neo Domino, but can he face the shadows of the Seven Spirits? Read and find out!
1. Chapter 1: Flame Champion

Hello there. You may have seen my fics around this section… probably. But anyway, this is not a new fanfic, but a rewritten version of one of my former works, Seven Spirits. Having progressed, I have looked back and become unhappy with quite a bit of stuff in the original version, so now I have begun to rewrite it to a better standard.

As such, events that happened in the original will not necessarily happen here. The back-story regarding original characters will most likely change in some way, and characters may change in some way, be it Decks used, their personalities, or in other ways.

The primary setting of this fic is Neo Domino City, two years prior to the events of the Fortune Cup and Dark Signer arcs of 5D's. At this time, Jack Atlas has crossed through the garbage pipeline between Neo Domino and the Satellite and through a series of brilliant victories; he has ascended to become Neo Domino's King of Riding Duels, the reigning champion.

Outside of the card game, the original anime terms for things will be used, Momentum rather than Enerdy, D-Wheel rather than Duel Runner, and so on. This is basically because as of late, having finally got myself together and watched subbed 5D's, I have come to appreciate something… the basic fact that the original anime is generally better than the dub in terms of atmosphere, dialogue… well, a lot. However, within the card game, the TCG terms and names will be used, with exceptions where I just like an OCG name more. At this point, consider the X-Saber and Elec Archetypes entirely OCG-named for this fanfic, for a start… I just loathe the vast majority of TCG names in those Archetypes, a lot.

This fic will use the September 2010 official banlist for its duration, and this list will be completely adhered to. In addition, for the purposes of anime and manga cards, I will adhere to Cyber Commander's anime card banlist from the Shadowchaser fic Guidelines, which can be obtained from him on request. This anime card banlist will also be adhered to throughout this fic, with only one exception due to circumstances rendering the restriction placed on the cards in question moot.

Anime and manga cards will be used, as will cards of my own design. When such cards are used, their details will be listed at the end of the chapter in which they are first used, as is usually the case in my Yu-Gi-Oh fics. This is also the case with cards unreleased in the TCG at the time of writing. Anime and manga cards will be listed with the episode/chapter of their first appearance, with international names if available, original names if not. As with any real-life cards, if I prefer a card's original name over its international name, I will use the original name.

Yu-Gi-Oh is currently trademarked to Konami; they own all fictional locations, anime and manga characters and cards belonging to the franchise. Thanks goes to Kazuki Takahashi for originally creating Yu-Gi-Oh, and therefore opening up such an awesome world for us to enjoy.

And now, into the thick of things…

_**Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's Seven Spirits:**_

_**Chapter 1 – Flame Champion**_

Neo Domino City.

A shining metropolis, resplendent in the brilliant sunlight, a utopia created by a single man, the enigmatic Director, Rex Goodwin. Expanding across a stretch of coastline, the city was like an ocean of buildings, with islands formed by the elevated platforms bearing the illustrious Tops district and other important areas of the city.

In one such island of light, a piece of the Tops district, a young man was waiting for his friends.

As he sat on a park bench, gazing out over a beautiful expanse of green grass and flowers at the centre of this platform of the Tops, his chestnut brown eyes slid closed, a sigh of contentment passing his slightly parted lips. Crossing his arms, he leaned his head back, strands of chestnut brown hair brushing on the collar of his black jacket, the Duel Disk on his right arm gleaming with crimson and sapphire from its paint coating and gem adornments respectively. Currently the Deck Zone of the Disk was empty, the cards presumably contained in one of two brown leather Deck sheathes at his belt, which lay flat against his leg, contrasting slightly with his black jeans.

Julian Mikuro opened his eyes and gazed up at the perfect, cobalt sky, taking in the thin wisps of cloud that blew across the heavenly vista. Eyes deep with his contentment, he continued to stare upwards until calls of his name drew his attention back down to earth, where he watched another young man approaching, eyes gleaming at the sight of his friend.

The other young man had hair of brunette hue, his eyes a dark golden color, his skin darkly tanned. Over his jet-black undershirt, he wore a crimson blazer of the kind favored by male Duel Academia students at the Central Duel Academia, as well as jet-black, white-trimmed jeans. At his belt were two black, gold-trimmed Deck Boxes, and the Duel Disk on his left arm was of a strange design, the main body designed like a jet-black beetle's shell with golden trim and an amber eye-like gem set into it, no card panel in sight.

"Hey, Julian," he said calmly, his voice bearing a somewhat chill edge and a regal tone. It were as if he was some ruler, used to being obeyed instantly, but now attempting to suppress that part of himself without complete success.

"Drago," Julian acknowledged, prompting a slight smile from his friend, who sat down next to him.

"Where are Milo and Kelsey?"

"Tying up some stuff. Kelsey's got late classes at the Academia for her D-Wheel license, and Milo has disciplinary duty over at the Security Bureau, something about improper conduct or something." Drago shook his head slightly.

"He needs to be careful. If they start digging too deep and he gets put on surveillance, we'll have hell on us from Security."

"I'll give him the message when he gets out," Julian replied. "It'll be another hour before they're finished up and out."

"Hm… sounds like Kelsey's really devoted to this D-Wheel thing," the other young man commented, the words bringing a strange look to Julian's eyes.

"She just wants to be a part of the whole thing," he murmured, leaning forwards and clasping his hands in his lap, staring out over the grass. "She wants to know what it's like to ride a D-Wheel, to experience that world of speed, to know how we can connect to our opponents through that state… she wants to experience a Riding Duel and all its heightened sensations for herself."

"You're worried about her." The statement was plain in the air as Drago spoke, prompting a nod from Julian.

"What if she gets caught? What if she tries to take on someone too strong, loses, and Security catch her? I'm not afraid of getting caught… I can fight Security. I can take it… but I…"

"You think she can't?" Julian fell silent, nodding again. "Julian, I know how you feel, but Kelsey's strong. If she gets caught, she can fight her way out…" He fell silent as a blissful young couple strolled past with love in their eyes, not missing how Julian regarded them with an almost envious expression. "I wouldn't worry about her. She's eighteen, it's her right to get a license and ride a D-Wheel, to experience that world the same as we do." A soft growl escaped Julian's lips. "I know you want to protect her, but you can't keep her from experiencing the world of a Riding Duel… that's wrong."

"Is it wrong to want to protect those you care about?" There was an innate hostility in the question, Julian's sensitivity to the subject plain.

"No… but there's a line between protective and overprotective, Julian. Be careful you don't cross that line," he stood up, "or you'll just make her hate you." Julian's eyes darkened with brief anger, before he gave a soft sigh.

"I just don't want her to lose everything in pursuit of a dream," he murmured. "I'll risk it… I have nothing… but I don't want her to lose everything when she has so much more ahead of her."

"What makes you think you have nothing?" Drago turned, regarding Julian with his burning golden eyes. "Why do you say that?"

"Because I lost everyone," he murmured, fixing golden eyes with chestnut gaze. "My parents burned in Zero Reverse. My uncle died to some thug after the cash in his wallet. My cousin hates me… she thinks I'm responsible for her father's death. No family… what do I honestly have to lose? All I have is justice… and I'll enforce it on those who would defy the laws."

"You think you're the only one without a family? I lost my parents, my uncle, everyone died in Zero Reverse but me," the brunette replied. "There are literally hundreds of people across this city in the same position…" Julian's eyes flared with anger.

"They didn't lose what I did… not in the same way…"

"Everyone loses someone… and the pain is always the same," Drago replied softly, but with a dark undertone to his words."What differs is how people can deal with that pain… but in the end, that's something to consider some other time. Right now, let's pass the time until Milo and Kelsey get here." He raised his Duel Disk. "How about a Duel?"

Julian gave a smile that was partly a smirk. "Game on." He stood, striding onto the grassy plain with Drago following, before stopping and turning on his heel to face his friend with Duel Disk raised. Drago raised his own Disk, and both activated, the card panel of Julian's sliding round to parallel his arm, before extending to full length with a rainbow flash shining across its surface. Meanwhile, five fang-like blades of pitch-dark metal spun from Drago's Disk and rotated like a buzz-saw around it, before aligning together and connecting with a flicker of crimson radiance across its surface.

Both duelists drew their five-card opening hands as a holographic coin appeared between them and flipped into the air.

"Heads!" Julian called as the coin reached the apex of its flight, a crowd beginning to gather around the two of them. The coin descended and crashed down, landing on tails.

"You can take first turn," Drago decided. "Let's do this!"

Holographic counters flashed up beside each of them, displaying their Life Points to both each other and the spectators.

_**Julian 8000LP/Drago 8000LP**_

"I draw!" Julian declared. "I set a monster face-down!" A reversed monster appeared before him. "Now I'll place a face-down, and end my turn! A second reversed card appeared.

_**Julian 8000LP/Drago 8000LP**_

"My draw!" Drago called, pulling a sixth card from his Deck. "I summon Elemental Hero Avian!" With a piercing hawk-like cry, a warrior descended from the sky, clad in a vibrant emerald costume, with pure white angelic wings exploding out from his shoulder blades, and a bracer adorned with jagged talons on his right arm. The hero gave another shout, striking a pose as wind billowed out around him (1000/1000).

"Elemental Hero Avian, attack his reversed monster! _Featherbreak_!" Avian gave a cry and leapt into the air, beating his wings forward and unleashing a barrage of razor-edged quills from his wings, which pierced into the golden-furred, flaming monkey which exploded into being before Julian (200/200). The Flamvell Paun shrieked in pain, before shattering into embers.

"Flamvell Paun's effect lets me add a monster with two-hundred defense from my Deck to my hand," Julian called. "_Flame Reinforcement_!" A card slid from his Deck and he took it into his hand. "I choose Flamvell Gurnika!" Avian landed back before Drago, settling into a battle-ready stance.

"I place a card face-down, and end my turn," Drago finished, placing a face-down card into his Disk, which manifested before him in a flash of radiance.

_**Julian 8000LP/Drago 8000LP**_

"Draw!" Julian called, taking up his next card. "I summon Flamvell Gurnika!" In a flash of burning flame, a fiery dragon-man formed, his scales a dark purple. He wore only dark leather breeches, and a crest of crimson ran along his neck. Snapping his talons, he lit a ball of crackling flame in his grip, snarling as his emerald eyes narrowed (1700/200).

"Flamvell Gurnika, attack his Elemental Hero Avian! _Flare Blast_!" Flamvell Gurnika snapped its talons once more and a second fireball manifested, both howling forwards towards Avian…

"Trap Card, open!" Drago countered as his Trap lifted, depicting Avian leaping up towards a rooftop, away from a strange man clad in an all-enveloping black cloak, his bald head plain white but for his eyes, which burned hellish red. Atop the roof awaited a shadowy figure, evidently a woman given their curvaceous silhouette. "Hero Regroup lets me return an Elemental Hero that gets attacked to my hand in order to negate the attack, and then add an Elemental Hero with the same Level from my Deck to my hand!" Avian faded into emerald light which flashed to Drago's hand, forming into a card as a flare of red light burst from his Deck, coalescing in his hand as another card as Gurnika's fireballs shattered against a shield of emerald light left in Avian's wake.

"I end my turn," Julian retorted, voice bitter at his failed attack, while Gurnika just gave a look of burning anger towards Drago.

_**Julian 8000LP/Drago 8000LP**_

"I draw!" Drago proclaimed, drawing once. "I activate the Spell Card, _Dark Fusion_!" The Spell's image appeared before him, and the audience, previously quite loud with muttering, fell silent as they regarded the ominous artwork it portrayed, that of Avian and a beautiful woman clad in red spandex, wearing a golden headdress, looking toward the foreground nervously, the former clutching at his heart as a shadowy form rose up behind them.

"And here we go…" Julian murmured as an ominous purple aura of flame surrounded the Spell Card.

"Dark Fusion acts like Polymerization," Drago continued, "but it can only be used for Fiend-Type Fusion Monsters…"

"There are no Fiend-Type Elemental Heroes!" an audience member shouted, bringing a smile to the young man's lips.

"True, but Dark Fusion acts as the connecting point, letting me bring together two Elemental Heroes to unleash a whole new breed of Hero monsters! From my hand, I fuse together my Elemental Heroes Avian," the winged, green-clad man appeared, his expression one of fear," and Burstinatrix," the red-clad heroine depicted on Dark Fusion itself also appeared, her amber eyes also dark with fear, "to Fusion Summon…!"

The heroes screamed in mortal agony as purple flames exploded up and consumed them, swirling together in an infernal pyre as the stunned audience watched in absolute silence. A deathly silence fell, before a dark shade rose within the flames, black wings spreading as the flames died away to reveal the monster. It was clearly female, with deathly grey flesh, clad in an indecent, clingy crimson outfit of a halter top and leggings, the wings that spread behind her midnight black. Her eyes were covered by a dark, punk visor, while her forearms seemed to be coated in dark fur, ending in jagged, demonic talons. Giving a dark cry, the fiendish monster landed, folding her wings as the talons on her feet dug into the grass (2100/1200).

"Meet Evil Hero Inferno Wing," Drago called to the audience, who were silent, awestruck by this dark new monster. "Now, Inferno Wing, attack his Flamvell Gurnika with _Infernal Blast_!" Inferno Wing sneered, raising a hand and letting a burst of violet flame howl from her talons…

"I open my face-down, Shrink, halving Inferno Wing's attack points!"Julian countered as the reversed card lifted and white aura burst from it towards Inferno Wing, only to be blocked by a black aura which burned from the Evil Hero's pores.

"During a round when a monster gets summoned with Dark Fusion, that monster's immune to targeting effects!" Drago countered as the violet fires engulfed Flamvell Gurnika, searing it to ashes in an instant before washing over Julian, who cried out in pain.

(_Julian 7600LP_)

"Now Evil Hero Inferno Wing's effect triggers, when she destroys a monster in battle, she deals my opponent damage equal to the destroyed monster's attack or defense points, whichever are higher," he continued. "_Hell Inferno_!" Julian looked up as Inferno Wing towered over him, extending a clawed hand toward him, before purple fire howled from her palm and enveloped him, tearing a cry of pain from his throat.

(_Julian 5900LP_)

He emerged from the flames as Inferno Wing returned to Drago's side, her lips curved into a dark sneer. The duelist placed a card into his Disk, which appeared face-down before him. "I end my turn."

_**Julian 5900LP/Drago 8000LP**_

"Draw!" Julian shouted, eyes starting to burn with anger at losing a fourth of his Life Points in one go.

"I summon Flamvell Archer!" Flames erupted before him again, and a warrior stepped from them, bare-chested except for the leather straps of the quiver slung across his back, wearing fiery orange gauntlets, his mane of hair seemingly made of flame. He raised a hand and a flash of flame forged into a bow, which he strung an arrow to, glaring at Inferno Wing (1000/200).

"What's he up to?" one of the crowd members asked curiously, before Julian played a Spell Card.

"I activate Pyre of Flamvell!" he continued. "This Spell only works if I only have one Flamvell out, and it lets me summon another, so long as it isn't stronger than Level Four!" In an eruption of liquid flame, Flamvell Gurnika reformed, roaring (1700/200). "Now I'll use Archer's effect, sacrificing a Pyro-Type to give every single other Flamvell in play an extra eight-hundred points for this round, and since Archer is a Pyro…" Flamvell Archer combusted in a fiery explosion, flames swirling around Flamvell Gurnika (2500/200).

"Flamvell Gurnika, attack his Evil Hero Inferno Wing with _Flare Blast_!" Gurnika roared, unleashing a bolt of flame from its palm once again…

"Open, Hero's Guard!" Drago countered as the Trap lifted. "By this card's effect, any Hero monsters can't be destroyed by this battle, and I can remove a Hero in my Graveyard from play to halve the damage!" He took Avian from his Graveyard, and a phantom of the hero appeared, taking the flames with a grunt before shattering into shards.

(_Drago 7800LP_)

"Then," Drago continued, pocketing Avian before taking a card from the top of his Deck," I draw a card due to Hero's Guard's second effect." Julian grimaced, taking two cards from his hand and setting them into his Disk.

"Turn end," he muttered as the reversed cards appeared and Flamvell Gurnika stopped glowing (1700/200).

_**Julian 5900LP/Drago 7800LP**_

"I draw," Drago said calmly, his golden eyes becoming more intense as he saw the card.

"I activate O – Oversoul," he said, playing a Spell Card, a fiery purple O glowing before him as the Spell appeared. "This lets me Special Summon a Normal Monster from my Graveyard, as long as it's an Elemental Hero." Burstinatrix appeared as the fiery symbol shattered, the heroine casting a nervous glance at Inferno Wing as fireballs lit in her hands (1200/800). "Next, I sacrifice Burstinatrix," the heroine combusted into flames, which darkened into swirling shadows, "to Advance Summon…"

The shadows hardened into leather, forming a tall, thin man, clad in a black bodysuit under straps of leather dotted with metal studs. Spikes jutted out of his upper arms, thighs, knees and feet, wings of jagged metal sprouted from his shoulder-blades, a bladed cowl covering his upper head, and like the superhero Wolverine, claws burst from his knuckles, gleaming in the light (2600/1800). "Evil Hero Malicious Edge!"

"That's Level Seven!" one of the spectators protested. "You need two Releases for a monster that powerful!"

"As long as my opponent controls a monster, I can play Malicious Edge with a single Release," Drago replied. "Inferno Wing, burn his Gurnika! _Infernal Blast_!" The screaming violet fire erupted from Inferno Wing's hands and ripped through Gurnika, tearing the dragon-man apart.

(_Julian 5500LP_)

"And now for her effect – _Hell Inferno_!" Flames howled from the demonic hero's talons...

"Not this time!" Julian retorted as a Trap lifted up. "I activate Dodge Roll, stopping the damage from that effect!" He threw himself aside in a roll as the flames washed over the space where he had been, and Drago grimaced.

"Malicious Edge, attack…" he began.

"I activate my second Trap, Damage Gate!" Julian retorted. "Because I took Battle Damage from Inferno Wing, Damage Gate lets me Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard with attack points equal to or lower than the damage!" Flamvell Paun appeared from the dark gate which appeared before him, crouching defensively (200/200).

"Evil Hero Malicious Edge, attack Flamvell Paun with _Needle Burst_!" Drago shouted. The thin, bladed hero leapt into the air and twisted, throwing punches which sent his knuckle-claws shooting into Paun like needles, causing the monkey to explode, before raking across Julian's chest.

(_Julian 3100LP_)

Malicious Edge landed before Drago in a crouch, new claws bursting through his knuckles to replace those he had thrown. "I guess you just found out the hard way that my Malicious Edge can pierce through defense."

"_This is what I get for not sticking with my friends at night…" _Julian thought bitterly. "Because you destroyed Paun in battle, his effect activates again!" A card slipped from his Deck, and he placed it in his hand.

"I end my turn there," Drago finished.

_**Julian 3100LP/Drago 7800LP**_

"I draw!" Julian called out. "I set a card face-down." A reversed card appeared before him. "Now I set a monster face-down, and end my turn." A reversed monster also appeared.

_**Julian 3100LP/Drago 7800LP**_

"Hm…" Drago mused as he drew. "Defending still… you're building up to something… so I guess I should stop it." He glanced across his hand, and plucked a card from it. "I activate Supreme Command. This Spell Card only works by paying a thousand Life Points, but in exchange neither of us can activate Spells and Traps in the Battle Phase until your next End Phase." A crimson aura surrounded him.

(_Drago 6800LP_)

"And with that issue gone," Julian's face-down was surrounded by a dark aura, "I can attack. Inferno Wing, torch his face-down with _Infernal Blast_!" Fire screamed from the evil heroine's hands, consuming the crimson fox cub (200/200) that appeared from Julian's card and shattering it before ripping into the young man with terrible ferocity.

(_Julian 1200LP_)

"She deals Piercing… too…?" Julian snarled in pain, and Drago confirmed with a nod, missing the card which Julian slipped into his Graveyard.

"Now her effect activates, _Hell Inferno_!" he shouted as the violet flames roared from Inferno Wing's grip and smashed into Julian, hurling him back with their force.

(_Julian 1000LP_)

"Malicious Edge, end this with _Needle Burst_!" The bladed Evil Hero leapt up again, unleashing the spikes from his knuckles, but this time they struck a barrier of burning flame which suddenly roared into being, melting and evaporating as a transparent form appeared beside Julian, a ball of crimson red fur with pitch-dark eyes, limbs of volcanic rock and a fiery aura burning around it, the strange monster giving a cute coo.

"When you destroyed my Fox Fire earlier, it activated the effect of my Blaze Kuriboh, letting me discard it to negate battle damage for the rest of the turn," Julian explained as the monster and its fiery shield faded away, eliciting a grimace from Drago as Malicious Edge landed with a growl of dissatisfaction, his claws bursting through his knuckles again.

"Turn end," the golden-eyed young man muttered, his monsters snarling, before a fireball exploded up before Julian, recreating the crimson-furred Fox Fire destroyed earlier that turn.

"When Fox Fire gets destroyed in battle, I can Special Summon it back in the End Phase," Julian explained.

_**Julian 1000LP/Drago 6800LP**_

"I draw," he continued, pulling the card from his Deck. "I open my reverse Trap, Powerful Rebirth, letting me Special Summon a Level Four or below monster from my Graveyard with one-hundred more points apiece and an extra Level, so come back, Flamvell Archer!" The Trap lifted and a column of bloody light from the earth released Flamvell Archer, burning with crimson as he gave a roar (1000/200 - 1100/300/Level 4).

"Level Four Flamvell Archer, Tune to Level Two Fox Fire! Synchro Summon!" With that, Julian snapped his fingers, causing Flamvell Archer to roar and combust into flames and ashes, four gleaming stars soaring skywards from the flames as Fox Fire flew upward after them, four shining gates of emerald light descending and encircling the fox cub, their passage causing the creature to transform to a fluorescent, cybernetic framework of vibrant orange, within which circled two more glowing stars. The stars finally aligned, before connecting in a pillar of burning crimson which crushed down onto the earth before Julian as he raised a hand to the skies and began to chant.

"_Within every single one of us lays a spark of courage glowing in an abyss of fear. Breathe life to that spark, and let it rise to an inferno of bravery and might! Synchro Summon! Burn, Flamvell Urquizas!"_

The pillar shattered like glass, revealing a patch of scorched ground, upon which was stood a towering figure, eight foot in height, clad in armor of black obsidian, flame burning upon fists and forming a mane upon its head. The man stepped forwards, clenching his fists and giving a roar as fire plumed around him, crackling and hissing as his burning eyes glared at Drago's Evil Heroes (2100/400).

The crowd around cheered at the sight of the Synchro Monster, which began to burn with a fiery energy as Julian took the Blaze Kuriboh card from his Graveyard. "I activate Blaze Kuriboh's secondary effect! If it's in my Graveyard, I can remove it from play to give a Fire-Attribute monster on my field three-hundred more attack points for the turn!" He pocketed the card and Flamvell Urquizas gave a roar, Blaze Kuriboh appearing beside him and transforming to flames which swirled around the burning Synchro Monster (2400/400).

"Flamvell Urquizas, battle! Attack Evil Hero Inferno Wing with _Searing Justice_!" Flamvell Urquizas roared and exploded forwards, smashing his burning fist into Inferno Wing's chest. The dark heroine gave a strangled scream of pain, before exploding into embers as Urquizas followed with a blow to Drago's chest, sending the young man skidding back as he snarled in pain.

(_Drago 6500LP_)

"Now because Urquizas dealt out Battle Damage, he gains three-hundred attack points," Julian said as his Synchro Monster landed back beside him (2700/400). "Now I set a card face-down, and end my turn." The reversed card appeared, leaving his hand at one card, and Flamvell Urquizas' burning glow died down slightly as Blaze Kuriboh's effect wore off (2400/400).

_**Julian 1000LP/Drago 6500LP**_

"Draw!" Drago shouted angrily. "Evil Hero Malicious Edge, attack Flamvell Urquizas! _Needle Burst_!" Malicious Edge ripped forwards, drawing back his fist to unleash the salvo of claw-blades…

"Reverse card, open!" Julian commanded as his Trap lifted, depicting Fox Fire and a strange brown rat with patches of volcanic rock on its skin swathed in flame, hovering over a dinosaur-like beast forged of magma and volcanic rock. "Volcanic Curse activates when you attack one of my monsters, and it gives the attack target an extra five-hundred attack points for each Pyro-Type monster in either Graveyard! Right now, I have three, Flamvell Paun, Flamvell Archer and Fox Fire, so Urquizas gains fifteen-hundred points!" Flamvell Urquizas burned with energy as the ethereal forms of Paun, Archer and Fox Fire appeared behind him (3900/400).

Urquizas exploded forwards in a blaze of flame, catching Malicious Edge with a savage punch which crushed the Evil Hero against the ground, shattering him, before leaping forwards and hurling a savage blow of burning fist to Drago's chest, knocking him back.

(_Drago 5200LP_)

As Urquizas landed back before him, Julian continued. "Now Urquizas gains three-hundred more points through his effect!" The Synchro Monster glowed again (4200/400).

"I place a monster face-down, and end my turn," Drago muttered angrily. A reversed monster appeared before him as Flamvell Urquizas stopped glowing (2700/400).

_**Julian 1000LP/Drago 5200LP**_

"I draw!" Julian declared, taking a card from his Deck. "I activate the Spell Card, Flamvell Honors!" A burning crest shaped like a burning flame forged from rubies appeared before him. "This works quite simply, I remove up to three Flamvell monsters in my Graveyard from play and draw a card for each removed." He pocketed Paun, Archer and Gurnika, and then drew three times. "Except, any monsters I draw can't be summoned this turn, and Spells I draw can't be activated."

"So basically it's useless," Drago commented.

"Some might say," Julian replied, taking one card from his hand, the only one which hadn't been drawn with Flamvell Honors. "But I can still activate this, the Double Attack Spell Card, letting me toss a monster from my hand," he placed Infernal Flame Emperor into the Graveyard, "to have a monster with a lower Level than the monster I toss attack twice this turn!" Flamvell Urquizas burned with energy. "Urquizas, attack his monster!"

Flamvell Urquizas roared and erupted forwards, burning with power, hurling a punch into the strange, jet-black robotic hound of barbed, demonic design which appeared before Drago (800/1200). The creature gave a mechanical wail, before shattering into pixels as a burning fist impacted with Drago's chest.

(_Drago 3700LP_)

"That was Fiendog you just destroyed, so I get to take back an Elemental Hero and a Spell Card for a Fusion Summon from the Graveyard," Drago said, taking Dark Fusion and Elemental Hero Burstinatrix from the Graveyard into his hand as Flamvell Urquizas glowed with energy (3000/400).

"Flamvell Urquizas, attack again!" Another blow struck Drago, sending him skidding back with a cry of pain.

(_Drago 700LP_)

Once again the Synchro Monster burned with energy (3300/400). "I end my turn with a face-down card," Julian concluded, playing a card into his Disk, which appeared before him as Urquizas returned to his side.

_**Julian 1000LP/Drago 700LP**_

"I draw!" Drago shouted, still wincing in pain as he took up his next card. "I activate Dark Fusion, fusing Elemental Heroes Burstinatrix," the crimson-clad heroine appeared before him, "and Clayman," a large, blocky golem-like man of dark clay appeared, with a crimson dome-shaped head, "to Fusion Summon…!"

The two heroes showed looks of fear as the darkness engulfed them, burning pitch-dark flames which detonated in a howling blaze to disgorge a colossal monster, clad in dark armor of blood red and dark gold, its right forearm bearing an immense cannon with fang-like blades jutting out at either side of the barrel. The heroine's long black hair billowed out in the wind as she dropped to a defensive stance, aiming her cannon with a roar (2000/2500).

"Meet my Evil Hero Infernal Sniper!" Drago called out, "whose effect can deal you a thousand points of damage during my Standby Phase, as long as she's in defense mode!"

"She won't last that long with Urquizas in play," Julian pointed out.

"That's why I'm activating a Spell Card called Hell Impact," his opponent said, the Spell Card appearing before him, depicting Evil Hero Inferno Wing burning an Exiled Force to nothing with a look of dark insanity on her face. "Hell Impact forces me to skip my Battle Phase, but in exchange all your monsters with original attack points lower than my monster's highest original point score are destroyed on the spot."

"Original…?" Julian echoed.

"Infernal Sniper's defense score is higher, so all your monsters with an original attack score of twenty-five hundred or below are destroyed," Drago called, pointing to Flamvell Urquizas dramatically.

"Chain!" Julian retorted as his Trap lifted and the image of a cute teenage girl wearing a black miniskirt, white shirt and black halter under a brown coat appeared, smirking darkly as she raised a hand. "Spiritual Fire Art – Kurenai lets me Release a Fire monster on my field," Flamvell Urquizas began to burn fiercely, "and deal you damage equal to that monster's original attack points!" Drago's eyes widened.

"His original attack points are twenty-one hundred…" he gasped out, a second before the Synchro Monster rocketed forwards.

"You lose," Julian said softly as Urquizas struck and detonated in a fiery explosion, consuming Evil Hero Infernal Sniper and the rest of Drago's cards as the young man was hurled back by the force.

_**Julian 1000LP/Drago 0LP**_

Drago stood up with a groan of pain as the cards left on the field faded away, their Duel Disks deactivating.

"That was a fun duel," he said with a slight smile, but Julian was grim by comparison.

"Is it wrong to protect someone?" he replied, returning to their pre-duel conversation as the crowd began to dissipate, eagerly discussing the duel they had just witnessed.

"No," Drago answered just as softly. "But there's a point where you have to allow people to be free. You have to let Kelsey be free."

"I don't want her to get hurt…" There was a truth in the words which went beyond friendship towards Kelsey, there was something deeper there.

"I know you don't… but believe in her, Julian. She's just as strong as the rest of us… she can take the things we do every night." With that, the Evil Hero duelist turned and began to walk away, leaving Julian to think…

SS01

_**Card Stats:**_

_**Monsters:**_

Blaze Kuriboh

FIRE/ Pyro/Effect /Level 1/ATK: 300/DEF: 200

During your opponent's Battle Phase, when a FIRE monster you control is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can discard this card from your hand to reduce all Battle Damage its owner would take for the rest of the turn to 0. If this card is in your Graveyard, you can remove it from play to have 1 face-up FIRE monster you control gain 300 ATK until the End Phase.

(Blaze Kuriboh is my own invention and creative credit for it goes to me.)

SS01

Fiendog

DARK/ Machine/Effect /Level 3/ATK: 800/DEF: 1200

When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can add 1 "Elemental Hero" monster and 1 Spell Card that Fusion Summons a Fusion Monster from your Graveyard to your hand.

(Fiendog is the invention of fellow fanfic author Psychid and creative credit for it goes to him, as does thanks for letting me use it.)

_**Spells:**_

Pyre of Flamvell

Normal Spell Card

Image: Flamvell Magician pulling Flamvell Archer from a plume of flames.

Activate only when the only monster you control is a Level 4 or lower 'Flamvell' monster. Select 1 'Flamvell' monster with a lower Level than that monster in your Graveyard, and Special Summon it. You cannot Synchro Summon during the turn this card is activated.

SS

Supreme Command

Normal Spell Card

Image: Dark Ruler Ha Des bellowing an order to Opticlops, Archfiend Soldier and Gil Garth.

Pay 1000 Life Points. Until your opponent's next End Phase, neither player can activate Spell and Trap Cards during the Battle Phase.

SS

Flamvell Honors

Normal Spell Card

Image: Three fireballs swirling around an amulet in the shape of a roaring flame (the same amulet worn by Flamvell Magician).

Remove from play up to 3 'Flamvell' monsters in your Graveyard, and draw 1 card for each card removed. Monster Cards drawn by this effect cannot be Summoned or Set this turn, Spell Cards drawn by this effect cannot be activated this turn, and only 1 Trap Card drawn by this effect can be Set this turn.

SS

Hell Impact

Normal Spell Card

Image: Evil Hero Inferno Wing consuming an Exiled Force in flames, laughing insanely as she does so.

Activate only while you control an 'Evil Hero' Fusion Monster. Select 1 'Evil Hero' Fusion Monster you control. Destroy all monsters your opponent controls with original ATK lower than the selected monster's original ATK or DEF, whichever is higher. You cannot conduct your Battle Phase during the turn in which this card is activated.

(The above four cards are my own inventions and creative credit for them goes to me.)

_**Traps:**_

Hero Regroup

Normal Trap Card

Image: Elemental Hero Avian leaping away from Destiny Hero – Doom Lord, towards a rooftop where the silhouette of Elemental Hero Burstinatrix is visible.

Activate only when an 'Elemental Hero' monster you control is selected as an attack target. Negate the attack and return the target monster to your hand, then add an 'Elemental Hero' monster with the same Level as the returned monster from your Deck to your hand.

(Hero Regroup is my own invention and creative credit for it goes to me.)

SS01

Hero's Guard

Normal Trap Card

Image: A small boy cowering behind a red-clad superhero as a burning meteor descends towards them.

Activate only when an opponent's monster declares an attack. Any "Elemental Hero", "Destiny Hero", "Evil Hero", "Masked Hero" or "Vision Hero" monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle by that attack. Also, you can remove from play 1 "Elemental Hero", "Destiny Hero", "Evil Hero", "Masked Hero" or "Vision Hero" monster from your Graveyard to halve the Battle Damage you take from that attack and draw 1 card.

(Hero's Guard was first used by Judai in the GX episode 'The Truth Behind Darkness! Judai VS Fubuki'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of GX.)

SS01

Dodge Roll

Normal Trap Card

Image: A black fighter jet performing an aerial roll in a sun-lit canyon to evade an explosion.

Activate only when you would receive effect damage or Battle Damage. You take no damage from that attack or card effect.

(Dodge Roll was first used by Kiryu in the 5D's episode 'Tag Duel: Kiryu & Yusei VS Lotten'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS01

Powerful Rebirth

Continuous Trap Card

Image: Dark King of the Abyss rising from a crimson fissure in a graveyard.

Select 1 Level 4 or lower monster from your Graveyard and Special Summon it. That monster gains 100 ATK and DEF, and its Level is increased by 1. When this card is removed from the field, destroy that monster. When that monster is removed from the field, destroy this card. During each of your Standby Phases, take 1000 damage.

(Powerful Rebirth was first used by Jack in the 5D's episode 'Fortune Cup Final! Lonely King, Jack Atlas'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS01

Volcanic Curse

Normal Trap Card

Image: Fox Fire and Volcanic Rat hovering above Volcanic Doomfire, swathed in flames.

Activate only when a monster you control is selected as an attack target. That monster gains 500 ATK for every Pyro-Type monster in any Graveyard, until the End Phase.

(Volcanic Curse was first used by Trueman (disguised as O'Brien's father) in the GX episode 'Sacrifice of Decision! O'Brien Flame of Darkness'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of GX.)

SS01

Next time on Seven Spirits, Milo faces off against a mysterious criminal opponent, but this foe turns out to be far tougher than he ever believed! Can the Security officer prevail in this fierce Riding Duel of burning hearts? As the merciless warriors of the Colosseum face off with those sworn to live by Bushido, who can triumph here?

To find out, it's Chapter Two – Rivalry of Warlords!


	2. Chapter 2: Rivalry of Warlords

_**Chapter 2 – Rivalry of Warlords**_

The corridors of the Public Security Maintenance Bureau were expansive, gleaming white and lit with cutting-edge technology. Electronically-locked doors filed each side of each corridor, leading into the rooms of the great organization throughout its skyscraper headquarters, from which it governed Neo Domino, keeping its citizens safe and content.

And one Security officer was becoming _very _acquainted with the corridors, in particular their floors.

Clad in the usual black boots, and dark grey trousers and jacket of a Security officer, his black hair was neatly cut into bangs on either side of his face, his eyes a piercing violet in shade, and in his gloved hands he held a mop, with which he was scrubbing the floor.

"That's enough for tonight, Kawasaki." The young man with the mop stopped, looking at the grizzled, experienced-looking man in a more regal Security uniform who was stood beside him. "You've done a good job."

"I'm just following orders, captain," the young man replied, placing the mop back into its bucket, which he picked up. The captain sighed.

"You've got potential, and sure as hell you've got the respect, Milo," he said. "But this independent streak of yours is your biggest problem. We need Security officers who can be relied on, not ones who go rushing off after criminals at the drop of a hat." Milo nodded.

"I understand, sir," he said, and the captain turned, walking away with a gesture to the trainee to follow, which he did.

"I suppose it's your upbringing… having the CEO of a D-Wheel manufacturing company, and a high-up in some cosmetics company as parents will do that, I guess. You're used to getting things…"

"My parents made sure I knew I wouldn't always get what I wanted," Milo said. "To be honest with you, sir, I just have a passion for taking down the people who'd dare overstep the lines of this society Director Goodwin worked hard to create for us." The captain gave a slight inclination of his head.

"I suppose that's understandable, Kawasaki, but try to reign in that passion. Get a hobby, or a girlfriend, or something to channel it into so it's not driving you out of our reach when you're on duty." Milo gave a slight smile.

"I'm not exactly good with the ladies, sir," he chuckled. "I save that for my friends."

"Hm? Well, I'm surprised you're not jealous of them." Another Security officer approached, this one a woman, the uniform tight on her curvaceous figure and covered by a non-regulation black trench-coat, but the captain hardly batted an eyelid, it was customary for officers to include such accessories to their uniforms and so long as the uniform itself remained intact, and the accessories served a reasonable purpose, he was generally fine. "Good evening, officer Mikuro."

"Evening, captain," she answered, her cobalt eyes flashing at the sight of Milo. "Good evening, officer Kawasaki."

"Evening, April." There was a deeper tone to his voice, he clearly knew this officer very well. She glanced away, and continued to avert her gaze until she had passed them.

"You know her?" the captain asked.

"I'm friends with her cousin… there's bad blood between them, though." The captain gave a wise nod.

"Best not to get involved," he said, patting Milo on the shoulder. "Anyway, good night, Kawasaki."

"Good night, captain." The captain turned and walked away, leaving Milo to proceed on to the elevator alone…

SS02

A short while later, he was riding his D-Wheel from the basement parking lot of the building. The D-Wheel was a standard Security model, blue and white with an angular, streamlined frame, blue and crimson lights across its form dimmed and its siren deactivated as he rode it, wearing a streamlined blue and white helmet which tapered to a sharp point over his nose.

As he rode down the streets of the city, taking in the vibrant, brightly-lit shop fronts and the products on display, his mind turned to the battle about to begin in the night, the battle of criminals against their bane. Tonight, as with many nights, he would venture into Neo Domino's dark side in pursuit of the criminal scum who made night their domain, to rout and overpower them, to show them night did not render them safe. And he would do so alongside Julian, and Drago, and soon Kelsey too would join the fold, and criminals would tremble at their passage.

Speaking of which…

He turned his head, suddenly alert, the sound of a door seemingly being forced had reached him over the noise of his D-Wheel. He skidded to a halt on the side of the road, alert and wary as he dismounted, glancing around as he detached his Disk from the D-Wheel manually to avoid raising attention. The Security D-Wheel he rode had been modified by a friend, it was almost silent for a start, so it was unlikely whoever had apparently forced a door open nearby was even aware of his presence. Fitting the Disk to his gauntlet, he placed his Ground Deck into place while slotting his Riding Deck into its holster at his belt, warily creeping forwards towards the alleyway he believed the noise had come from. True to form, within was a forced door, leading into a dim, closed shop selling… he crept back to glance at the sign, and almost scoffed, the shop was a baker's!

"Who breaks into a baker's in this day and age…?" he mused. "Then again… lack of security… bakers can't afford costly security systems so they rely on more manual protection," he glanced down the alleyway to the forced door, "like locks." He quietly moved to the door, and peered in. Seeing no-one, he slipped inside, hoping to get the drop on the criminal.

He peered round the corner of the desk he was hiding behind, seeing a slender figure stood at a counter. Milo understood, with the advent of computer programs able to effectively monitor and control household appliances such as an oven, many shops relying on the sale of cooked produce had upgraded to allow cooking in mass production with these automated systems, thus allowing them to deal with more mundane aspects of the operation, such as paperwork and serving the customer. This business seemed to favor a more traditional slant, he could see a more old-fashioned oven across the room, but even so it still had one of these automated ovens, presumably for batch orders of the same type of bread.

He also understood that to keep demand fulfilled the baker must have chosen to cook some bread overnight, perfectly achievable with the technology available, and it was this newly-cooked bread the burglar was grabbing and stuffing into a satchel. Strangely though, they grabbed up a set of rolls, tearing one from the rest and quickly scoffing it down.

"Wha…?" he breathed softly, watching the slender burglar chew on the roll, barely breathing, clearly their hunger made them ravenous. He now understood why they seemed so slim, clearly they hadn't eaten in a while.

He inched forward slightly, preparing to leap out and confront them, and they turned. Had they heard him? Regardless, in the glance he caught as he ducked back into cover, he could make out the general shape of their body, the curvaceous form of a young woman, but terribly thin from hunger, clearly supporting the theory she hadn't eaten in a long while. Moonlight spilled into her face, revealing features hardened by a rough life, dark crimson eyes and pale white hair, pale skin and lips covered with breadcrumbs from the roll she had just devoured. Her eyes were already scanning, her body tensing, ready to run. The way she adjusted herself was almost cat-like, graceful and filled with pent-up energy, preparing to flee in an instant of danger presenting itself.

Her beauty was clear, but marred by hardship, and Milo began to understand why she was stealing this bread. She was wearing loose-fitting clothes, a baggy, loose shirt of black marked in silver and black leggings, thigh-length motorcycle boots on her calves. He heard scuffling noises, presumably her stuffing the rolls into her satchel, ready to flee, and realized that she was about to make a break for it.

"Security, freeze!" he shouted, leaping up from cover and moving to stop her, but she was already in motion. Her foot came up, a blur of motion which impacted to his groin, knocking him back with a cry of pain, and she shoved past, tearing through the door. The kick stung, but there hadn't been all that much force behind it, clearly malnutrition had affected her strength, and he quickly recovered, chasing her out the door, only to have to leap aside as she used her three-second edge to leap onto a D-Wheel he hadn't noticed in his focus on the door, a somewhat basic model in jet-black. It started, engine roaring, and she raced past him, not wearing a helmet as she skidded her ride around a corner and shot off down the street.

"Everyone has a D-Wheel these days…" he muttered, sprinting to and mounting his own, connecting the Disk rapidly and speeding off after her, inserting his Riding Deck on the move. Light flickered across the Disk as it activated, and he sped up, quickly gaining pace with the fleeing thief.

She glanced back, eyes wary, and she muttered something, which he lip-read as '_crap_'.

"Crap is right," he replied, pressing a command on his console. "Because I'm an officer of the Public Security Maintenance Bureau, and I'm bringing you in. I activate the Field Spell, Speed World! Imposed activation!" Instantly his D-Wheel's screen transformed, depicting a dark blue set of field spaces for a Duel Monsters game, with added displays for Life Points and Speed Counters on each side, his opponent's spaces shown in red.

The young woman cried out in alarm as her own screen transformed, and then the same Spell Card appeared on both, spinning and vanishing, the Speed World Field Spell. Circles of white aura expanded from their D-Wheels, transforming the world in a deep purple shadow of its true self as the card panels of their D-Wheels activated, sliding into position. Milo noted that his opponent's D-Wheel was not a hybrid model like his own, not that it truly surprised him at all.

"_Duel Mode, engaged," _the D-Wheels spoke in their monotone declarations. _"Autopilot, online. Field Spell, Speed World, active. Riding Duel, set, on."_

"An officer of Security has the right to override a suspect D-Wheel and enforce a Riding Duel," Milo explained as he pulled five cards from his Deck and placed them into the hand slot of his gauntlet. "As such, you have no choice but to Duel me now." She swore again, but drew her own hand. "I may as well be civil… what's your name?"

"Kisara." The name was spoken bluntly, almost coldly, as if she hated the word, and he wondered why she would speak her own name so.

"Well, Kisara, my name is Milo, and now… Riding Duel, acceleration!" he called, declaring the phrase which signaled the opening of their Riding Duel.

_**Milo 8000LP 0SPC/Kisara 8000LP 0SPC**_

"I've always been polite, so I'll let you take the first turn," Milo said calmly.

"Then it's," she drew her card in a restrained motion," my draw!" she placed the card with the rest of her hand in its holder, before plucking a different card from the six. "I summon The Six Samurai – Nisashi!" A glowing blue portal opened beside her, and from it ran a noble warrior, a samurai clad in futuristic green armor styled after that of the original samurai from Japan's feudal days, wielding the traditional paired katana and wakizashi of the samurai with blades of glowing emerald light (1400/700). As he appeared, he gave a respectful bow to the young woman, who nodded curtly in return.

"Not the best monster to place in attack mode," Milo observed.

"I place a card face-down, and end my turn." A reversed card appeared beside her D-Wheel and faded from view.

_**Milo 8000LP 0SPC/Kisara 8000LP 0SPC**_

"I draw," Milo said, signaling a speed-up from both D-Wheels as both copies of Speed World gained a Speed Counter by their effects (_Milo 1SPC_) (_Kisara 1SPC_).

"I summon Gladiator Beast Samnite!" With a savage howl, a portal ripped open beside him and disgorged a strange beast-man, a white-furred saber-toothed tiger clad in ornate black and gold armor, standing on two legs and wielding a gladius with a blade of pure energy, and a large black rectangular shield (1600/1200).

"And I activate my Trap Card – Support of Six Samurai!" Kisara shouted, the reversed card appearing and lifting up, depicting a samurai clad in jet-black armor with a blindfold, wielding a katana charging into battle, while an arrow shot by another samurai in deep blue armor behind him struck a would-be assassin between the eyes, saving the former. "This destroys any monster you choose to summon with more attack points than a Six Samurai monster I control!" The archer Samurai depicted on the card suddenly appeared on a rooftop ahead, taking aim. He fired, the arrow a flash of deep blue, burying itself in Samnite's heart. The savage beast groaned and toppled, shattering like glass on impact with the road as the archer nodded to his companion and vanished.

"Damn it," Milo muttered, playing a card. "I activate Speed Spell – Count Up! By discarding any number of cards from my hand, I gain two Speed Counters for each!" He placed a copy of Trojan Gladiator Beast into the Graveyard and sped up, two notches on his D-Wheel's speed gauge filling (_Milo 3SPC_). "And with three Speed Counters, I can activate Speed Spell – Zero Rebirth!" An emerald-rimmed Spell appeared beside his D-Wheel, depicting a young boxer with crimson eyes, burning with fiery aura, standing over an older opponent he had clearly just knocked out. "Speed Spell – Zero Rebirth lets me Special Summon a monster destroyed by your card effect this turn," Samnite reappeared with a howl of rage, "at the cost of that monster's attack points falling to zero!" Samnite growled as the same fiery aura from the boxer on the card manifested around him (0/1200).

"Now I play one card face-down, and end my turn!" A reverse card appeared beside his D-Wheel and vanished. _"Samnite may have zero attack points, but when she attacks I can use Defensive Tactics to take the damage to zero and save him from being destroyed. Then I can tag him out for another Gladiator Beast who can beat Nisashi and any other monster she summons next turn."_

_**Milo 8000LP 3SPC/Kisara 8000LP 1SPC**_

"I draw," Kisara said, their D-Wheels speeding up again (_Milo 4SPC_) (_Kisara 2SPC_).

"I summon The Six Samurai – Zanji!" In a flash of light, another portal opened and released another samurai, this one clad in armor of radiant orange-gold, wielding a naginata with a blade of glowing golden energy. As Nisashi had done, Zanji gave Kisara a respectful bow, before straightening, brandishing the naginata threateningly (1800/1300). Both samurai began to glow slightly, holding their weapons with an air of confidence.

"Nisashi, strike down his Samnite!" The samurai sprinted forwards and slashed with the katana and wakizashi, his swords cutting into Samnite, but the beast snarled and shoved the samurai back with his shield.

"I open my Trap – Defensive Tactics!" Milo called, his Trap lifting. "I can activate this card when I control a Gladiator Beast, and it stops my monsters being destroyed in battle, and negates all Battle Damage to me this turn!" A glowing aura lit around Gladiator Beast Samnite. "Then, I get to place Defensive Tactics at the bottom of my Deck instead of sending it to the Graveyard!" He slid the card back into place at the bottom of his Deck, as he had said.

"Zanji, attack!" The words spurred the orange-golden samurai into action, causing him to charge past Nisashi and thrust the naginata up towards Samnite's heart…

"I just told you Defensive Tactics saves my monster!" Milo cried, only to be completely cut off when the naginata tore through Samnite's chest, emerging through the Gladiator Beast's back, causing it to give an agonized howl before shattering as Zanji grimly returned to his controller's side. "What the heck?"

"Due to the effect of my Six Samurai – Zanji, when I control a different Six Samurai in addition to himself, any monster he attacks is destroyed at the end of the damage step," Kisara explained calmly. "Your Defensive Tactics protected Samnite from the attack, but Zanji's effect swiftly ended its life." Milo grimaced darkly. "Now I place two cards face-down and end my turn." Two reversed cards appeared before her and vanished.

_**Milo 8000LP 4SPC/Kisara 8000LP 2SPC**_

"I draw!" Milo shouted angrily as they sped up (_Milo 5SPC_) (_Kisara 3SPC_).

"I summon Gladiator Beast Dimacari!" With a snort, a towering Gladiator Beast with the form on an ox-man appeared, its fur a dark purple in shade, head crowned by majestic horns and its body clad in a dark kilt and silver bracers. Dimacari snorted again, spreading into a wide stance, muscles apparent against its skin (1600/1200). "Gladiator Beast Dimacari, attack The Six Samurai – Nisashi!" The ox-headed Gladiator Beast roared and charged, drawing back a fist to crush Nisashi…

"Reveal Trap – Baton of the Hero!" Kisara shouted, her Trap lifting up. "Baton of the Hero lets me choose your attack's target, and I redirect it to Zanji!" The naginata-wielding samurai leapt forwards, landing in Dimacari's path and readying his weapon to strike down the Gladiator Beast…

"I activate the Quick-Play, Speed Spell – Crash Buffer!" Milo shouted urgently, casting an emerald Spell Card into his D-Wheel's card panel, causing it to manifest, depicting a motorcycle-riding warrior brandishing a halberd plowing into a car, protected by a barrier of crimson force around him. "Crash Buffer can only be activated when I have three or more Speed Counters, and it prevents one of my monsters from being destroyed by battle this turn!" The crimson shield of force appeared around Dimacari, causing the blow of Zanji's naginata to rebound away, though the Security officer winced as he felt the recoil of the attack hit. "However, I still take damage as normal."

(_Milo 7800LP 5SPC_)

Dimacari returned to his side, Zanji leaping back to Kisara's own side, the two monsters exchanging sharp glares, before Dimacari began to glow with energy. "Now," Milo continued, "I end the Battle Phase and activate Dimacari's effect. Because he attacked this turn, I can return him to the Deck and Tag Out for another Gladiator Beast of my choosing, so I return him to my Deck," Dimacari faded into light and flashed back into Milo's Deck, before another card slipped from it, "to Special Summon my Gladiator Beast Alexander!"

He played the card and in a flash of vibrant golden aura, a roar sounding, a new monster appeared, a leonine warrior clad in armor of shining gold, with large wings of golden plate, glowing claws sliding into place on the edges of the wings as Alexander tossed back his head and roared majestically, clenching his claws into fists (2400/600). "Gladiator Beast Alexander can only be Special Summoned by Dimacari's effect, but for that he's stronger than most Gladiator Beasts and has a very useful effect. But since I can't attack with him now, I'll end my turn."

"In your End Phase, I open my Swiftstrike Armor Continuous Trap Card!" Kisara called as the Trap appeared and lifted up.

_**Milo 7800LP 5SPC/Kisara 8000LP 3SPC**_

"My draw!" Kisara called, smirking. Then they sped up, gaining another Speed Counter each from Speed World (_Milo 6SPC_) (_Kisara 4SPC_). As the speed increase entered her attention, a flicker of thought reached her, something intangible, a glimpse of her opponent through different eyes. _"He's not like the others… he has duty, but there's… something…"_

"I activate Speed Spell – Half Seize! Because I have three or higher Speed Counters, Half Seize lets me halve the attack points of one of your monsters and gain back the same amount of Life Points!" A crimson aura appeared around Alexander, but he didn't seem fazed in the slightest, swatting the aura aside.

"That effect I mentioned… when Alexander is Special Summoned, he gains complete immunity to _all _Spell Cards," Milo explained, Kisara swearing under her breath.

"I set a monster and end my turn!" she shouted, a reversed monster appearing beside her D-Wheel.

_**Milo 7800LP 6SPC/Kisara 8000LP 4SPC**_

"My… draw!" Milo called out, both D-Wheels accelerating (_Milo 7SPC_) (_Kisara 5SPC_). A shard of a vision struck, a feel of his opponent's very soul, carried by the world of speed. _"There's need… she doesn't steal out of spite, but out of a need to do so…"_

"I summon Gladiator Beast Darius!" With a fierce neigh, a towering horse-man with a dark coat appeared, clad in a brown plate-skirt, chestplate and bracers, wielding a steel whip that crackled with electrical force (1700/300). "Now, Gladiator Beast Alexander, attack Six Samurai – Zanji! _Solar Conquest_!" Alexander roared and the claws on his wings shone brightly, releasing arrows of radiance which screamed towards the naginata-wielder…

"Nisashi, protect!" Kisara snapped out, causing the emerald-armored samurai to leap forward and take the arrows for himself, screaming in pain before shattering apart, leaving Zanji unharmed as the arrows pierced into Kisara, causing her to snarl in pain.

(_Kisara 7400LP 5SPC_)

"The Six Samurai are comrades, brothers-in-arms," she said softly. "As such, they would die to protect one another… if a Six Samurai would be destroyed, I can destroy another Samurai I control instead."

"Gladiator Beast Darius, attack her face-down monster!" Darius cracked his whip, snapping it against the grey-robed samurai who appeared crouching defensively, his forearms and shins clad in dark brown armor over clearly cybernetic prosthetics, his face ravaged by scars and his right eye replaced by a cybernetic one. The Chamberlain of the Six Samurai guarded, blocking with his katana and straining to hold back Darius's strike, before finally knocking the Gladiator Beast's whip away (200/2000). Milo grimaced as the backlash struck him.

(_Milo 7500LP 7SPC_)

"I end the Battle Phase," Milo said softly, "and activate the effects of my Gladiator Beasts… Tag Out!" Both Alexander and Darius faded into light and flew back into his Deck, before he took two more cards and played them in a flourish. "I summon Gladiator Beasts Bestiari and Equeste!" In two flares of power and light, new Gladiator Beasts formed. The first was clearly avian-based, its animal half some form of hawk, with dark green feathers, clad in armor of even deeper green, its majestic wings a vibrant emerald in shade and two bow-like weapons attached to its bracers, a crimson crest adorning the back of its helm (1500/800). The second was a centaur-like beast with wings of sapphire metal, wielding a circular, spike-rimmed shield of the same metal, as well as barding on its horse-body, a chest-plate and Roman helm. Equeste clenched a fist, snarling in anger (1600/1200).

"Now their effects activate," the Security officer continued, "Bestiari destroys a Spell or Trap Card when summoned by the effect of a Gladiator Beast," an arrow of light fired from one of Bestiari's bow-like weapons, impaling and shattering the Swiftstrike Armor card, "and Equeste lets me add a Gladiator Beast card from the Graveyard to my hand." He took Gladiator Beast Samnite from his Graveyard.

"Both of them aren't strong enough to compete with Zanji," Kisara sneered.

"That," Milo said as both Gladiator Beasts began to glow, "doesn't matter, because my Beasts have another power beyond their Tag Out effect. You see, there are three Gladiator Beast Fusion Monsters with a very special property… as long as I use the right materials; I can summon them without the use of a Fusion card, via the medium of Contact Fusion… so Bestiari… Equeste…" both Gladiator Beasts gave curt nods to him, "Contact!"

The two soared skywards, clashing bracers as they faded into beams of light and merged in a burning burst high overhead, descending to the earth once more with a fearsome shriek, wingbeats audible as a barbed shadow descended to hover beside Milo. Physically it was similar to Bestiari, but where that beast had been hawk-based; this creature was more likely based on an eagle-human combination, clad in ornate green-black and silver armor set with rubies, more advanced versions of Bestiari's arm-bows attached to its bracers, its wings now larger. The Fusion gave a shriek, three spikes burning upon its back with golden light as it clenched its fists, giving another predator shriek (2400/1500).

"Contact Fusion returns the Material Monsters to my Deck," Milo advised, placing Bestiari and Equeste's cards back onto his Deck, which auto-shuffled, "now let me introduce my Gladiator Beast Gyzarus!" The eagle-based Gladiator shrieked. "And when Gyzarus is Special Summoned, I can destroy up to two cards on the field! Gyzarus, destroy the Chamberlain and Zanji! _Spear of Caesar_!"

Gyzarus raised its arms and bolts of dark force ripped from its bows, impaling the two samurai, who cried out in agony before shattering, Kisara swearing as she placed the cards into her Graveyard.

"Turn end," the Security officer concluded, Gyzarus giving a fierce shriek as its gaze burned into Kisara.

_**Milo 7500LP 7SPC/Kisara 7400LP 5SPC**_

"I draw!" With that, she ripped the next card from her Deck, smirking fiercely as she saw it and they sped up (_Milo 8SPC_) (_Kisara 6SPC_). Her eyes widened and unfocused slightly as the world of speed affected her once again. _"He thinks Security aren't enough… that someone needs to take a stand… and that he and…" _Her eyes focused as she lost the revelation of the world of speed.

The cards for Nisashi and Chamberlain of the Six Samurai slipped from her Graveyard and she held them up, before pocketing them and playing the new card. "By removing two Six Samurai in my Graveyard from play, I can Special Summon Enishi, Shien's Chancellor!" The spirits of the removed Samurai appeared, heads bowed as they stepped aside, a portal opening between them, from which stepped a grizzled-looking veteran, clad in a dark kimono under an emerald-green jacket, two katana sheathed at his belt. Enishi glared at Milo and his Gladiator Beast sternly, drawing one katana and holding it battle-ready, calling a fierce cry (2200/1200).

"He isn't as strong as Gladiator Beast Gyzarus," Milo dismissed.

"He doesn't have to be!" Kisara answered fiercely. "By skipping Enishi's attack, I can destroy any face-up monster, once a turn!" The Chancellor raised his katana, which glowed with reflected moonlight. "Destroy Gladiator Beast Gyzarus!" Enishi tore forwards, a streak of emerald shadow, which flashed across Gyzarus in a sweep of a katana, tearing the eagle-like monster apart and shattering it into shards, before Enishi reappeared beside Kisara, giving her a curt nod as he sheathed his bloodied katana.

Milo gritted his teeth angrily.

"I end my turn by playing one card face-down." The reversed card appeared beside her D-Wheel and vanished.

_**Milo 7500LP 8SPC/Kisara 7400LP 6SPC**_

"My draw!" He ripped a card from his Deck, eyes widening at the sight of the Speed Spell so much he barely registered the speed increase (_Milo 9SPC_) (_Kisara 7SPC_). _"She's running… she won't give herself away because she's running from something, but what…?"_

"I summon Gladiator Beast Samnite!" With a howl, the white-furred tiger-man appeared, drawing his gladius (1600/1200). "Next I'll activate Speed Spell – Angel Baton, drawing two cards," he drew twice, "and discarding one!" He placed a monster card into the Graveyard.

"Now I activate Speed Spell – Death Awaken!" The Spell appeared, a split-screen depicting a man in a blue suit lying dead, while the other half showed the same man standing back up, confronting a large group of armed men. "Death Awaken lets me revive a monster in my Graveyard with a Level below my Speed Counters, as long as it was destroyed and sent there from the field! Come back, Gladiator Beast Gyzarus!" In a flash of light, Gyzarus erupted back into being with a shriek (2400/1500). "Now, I activate Gyzarus's effect to destroy Enishi and your face-down – _Spear of Caesar_!" Power gathered in the Gladiator Beast's arm-bows…

"Reverse card, open!" Kisara's face-down lifted, depicting the dark-armored blindfolded samurai from Support of Six Samurai performing a slash, the sigil of a swallow in flight visible in the energy arc this created. "Swallow Flip activates when an Effect Monster's effect activates in response to any summon, including its own, and destroys it!" The dark-armored samurai burst from the Trap, flashing forwards and slashing with his katana in a blazing arc through Gyzarus which shattered into pixels, before vanishing in a flicker of shadows.

"I end my turn!"

_**Milo 7500LP 9SPC/Kisara 7400LP 7SPC**_

"My turn," Kisara smirked, drawing her next card (_Milo 10SPC_) (_Kisara 8SPC_). _"It's strange… he has more than the others, more than duty… he has passion for this… but not just his job, for justice overall…"_

"Enishi, attack Gladiator Beast Samnite!" The chancellor drew his katana and ripped forwards, drawing it back to slash, and as he tore past Samnite, he slashed, blade cleaving into the tiger-man…

Only to suddenly meet a shield with a harsh CLANG, as the image of a man clad in grey trousers, black shoulder plates and a black helmet appeared, crouched behind a black kite-shaped shield and wielding a long spear, while Milo pocketed the card he had discarded with Speed Spell – Angel Baton. "By removing Shield Warrior in my Graveyard from play, one monster I control isn't destroyed by this one battle, but I still take damage." He winced as the katana slashed across him.

(_Milo 6900LP 9SPC_)

"I end my turn!" Kisara snapped as Shield Warrior vanished.

"At the end of the Battle Phase, I activate Samnite's Tag Out effect, returning him to the Deck," Samnite flashed into light, flowing back into Milo's Deck as another card slipped from it, "to summon Gladiator Beast Darius!" The horse-man appeared once more, cracking his metallic whip (1700/300). "And because Darius was Special Summoned by the effect of a Gladiator Beast, I can Special Summon a Gladiator Beast from the Graveyard, like Gladiator Beast Gyzarus!" Darius cracked his whip again and the eagle-like Gladiator Beast erupted from the ground with a shriek (2400/1500). "However, its effects are negated."

"I end my turn with two face-downs," Kisara snapped, the reversed cards appearing before her.

_**Milo 6900LP 10SPC/Kisara 7400LP 8SPC**_

"I draw!" the Security officer called (_Milo 11SPC_) (_Kisara 9SPC_). _"Who is that shadow she's running from? Why is she so afraid and so defiant?"_

"Gyzarus, destroy Enishi!" The Gladiator Beast fired a laser javelin from one of its bows, impaling the chancellor and shattering him into pixels before the spear stabbed into Kisara.

(_Kisara 7200LP 9SPC_)

"Gladiator Beast Darius, attack!" The horse-man cracked his whip, striking the young woman, who snarled in pain as her D-Wheel decelerated slightly from the loss of a Speed Counter.

(_Kisara 5500LP 8SPC_)

"Now I activate their effects – Tag Out!" Milo commanded, "And when Gyzarus Tags Out, I can Special Summon two Gladiator Beasts, provided neither is Bestiari!" The Gladiator Beasts faded into three orbs of light and flew back into his Deck. "I bring out Gladiator Beasts Dimacari, Retiari and Laquari!" Three orbs soared from his Deck, forming into Dimacari (1600/1600), an emerald lizard-man akin to Gagagigo, clad in a black plate skirt, bracers and greaves with gold trim and wielding a trident and net combination (1200/800), and finally a golden-furred tiger-man with black stripes, clad in fiery orange armor with a golden horn on his helmet, baring claws and fangs with a menacing growl (1800/400).

"When Gladiator Beast Retiari is summoned by Tag Out, one card in your Graveyard is removed from play, so I choose your Enishi," Milo said, the card slipping from his opponent's Graveyard and prompting Kisara to pocket it with a scowl, "and when Laquari is summoned by Tag Out, his original attack points increase to twenty-one hundred, but that doesn't matter… because now, Dimacari, Retiari, Laquari… _Contact_!"

The three Gladiator Beasts nodded to each other, before soaring upwards, swathed in flame, and combining into one with a fiery detonation which lit the skies, the conflagration swirling and burning before a dark shadow erupted from it and descended as Milo chanted.

"_Born from the king of the Olympian gods… bewitched to slay his own family… this shamed hero seeks penance in the arena of the gladiators! Behold his legendary might enough to tame even the hound of the Underworld! Contact Fusion! Appear before me… Gladiator Beast Heraklinos!" _

A burning form crashed down beside him, flames tearing away to reveal a towering leonine warrior, clad in a conglomerate of armor apparently cobbled together from different scraps recovered form facing other gladiators, and wielding a large halberd and a shield forged of hexagonal golden panels. Emerald wings spread behind Heraklinos as he roared, burning with molten force and raising his halberd (3000/2800). "I end my turn."

_**Milo 6900LP 11SPC/Kisara 5500LP 8SPC**_

"Draw!" Kisara shouted angrily, tearing the card from her Deck as she stared down Gladiator Beast Heraklinos (_Milo 12SPC_) (_Kisara 9SPC_), the world of speed reaching her again. _"He wants to stop injustice… to protect people… is that what makes him fight so fiercely?"_

"I activate Speed Spell – Slip Draw!" The Spell appeared, depicting a D-Wheeler facing Chthonian Emperor Dragon, Tyrant Dragon and Montage Dragon, while reaching for a control on the D-Wheel. "Slip Draw can only be activated when I have no monsters on my field, my Speed Counters are lower than yours, and you have a monster with at least three-thousand attack points in play, and here's how it works, I have to drop three or above Speed Counters, but for every three I drop, I draw a card, and I'll lose all nine I currently have!" She slowed down substantially (_Kisara 0SPC_) and reached for her Deck…

"No you don't!" Milo countered, placing the lone card he held into his Graveyard. "Because by discarding a card, Heraklinos can stop any Spell or Trap Card and destroy it!" The Gladiator Beast raised his halberd and slashed, unleashing a burning wave, but when it struck the Speed Spell, nothing happened.

"If I reduce my counters to zero with Slip Draw, then it can't be negated!" Kisara replied, drawing three times. "Now I activate a Trap Card – Ojama Trio!" A Trap appeared beside her and lifted up. "This Trap Card summons three Ojama Tokens to your side of the field in defense mode!" Three bursts of smoke erupted beside Milo's D-Wheel.

"_O!" _

"_J!"_

"_AMA!" _

"_What does that spell? OJAMA!"_

Milo rolled his eyes beneath his helmet as three creatures emerged from the smoke, all small humanoids, one yellow with eyes on stalks, one green with a single cyclopean eye and a muscular body, and the third black with a large nose and fangs for teeth, all three clad in bright crimson bikini briefs (0/1000x3).

"Ojama Tokens?" he said, trying to hide his scorn. "Do you even know how obsolete these things are? They were fine back in the days of Jun Manjoume, but once Synchro Monsters were developed, they became a liability. Giving your opponent Synchro Material Monsters is a bad idea in any case."

"_Hey, punk!" _the black Ojama cried.

"_How dare you!" _the green Ojama followed.

"_You'll pay for that!" _Yellow finished.

"Speed Spell – Cyclone Changer!" Kisara shouted, playing a card. "Cyclone Changer can only be activated if my Speed Counters are eight or more below yours, and it changes the battle position of all face-up monsters on the field!" A tempest of raging white force exploded into being, battering on Milo's monsters and causing the three Ojama Tokens to stand from their defensive stances (0/1000), while Gladiator Beast Heraklinos was forced to kneel (3000/2800). "Now I activate the Trap Card, Return of the Six Samurai, bringing back The Six Samurai – Zanji for this one turn!" The Trap Card lifted, and in a flash of radiance the golden naginata-wielding samurai reformed, brandishing his weapon (1800/1300).

"Next, I summon The Six Samurai – Irou!" In a dark aura, the blindfolded, dark-armored samurai from Swallow Flip appeared, drawing his katana in a deathly silence (1700/1200). "And finally, with two Six Samurai in play, I can Special Summon their lord and commander from my hand… arise, Great Shogun Shien!" A burning conflagration exploded up beside her, forming into a mighty shogun, his armor the hue of shed blood, his katana burning with the light of a howling inferno, his eyes a deep sanguine shade. Shien gave a roar as Zanji and Irou knelt respectfully, before rising to stand beside their lord (2500/2000).

"Oh no…" Milo muttered.

"Zanji, attack an Ojama Token!" Kisara commanded, gesturing and spurring the golden-armored samurai forth. His naginata slashed, cleaving the black Ojama in twain as the remaining tokens gasped in grief and horror, before the weapon speared into Milo.

(_Milo 5100LP 11SPC_)

"When an Ojama Token is destroyed… I take three-hundred damage…" the Security officer murmured, before gasping in pain as a burning crimson aura surrounded him.

(_Milo 4800LP 11SPC_)

"Irou, attack another Token!" The blindfolded samurai leapt forwards past his brother Zanji as the golden warrior pulled back, Irou slashing with his katana and decapitating the green Ojama in a smooth slash, before stabbing into Milo with the blade.

(_Milo 3100LP 10SPC_)

Then the Security snarled in pain as the crimson aura lit around him again.

(_Milo 2800LP 10SPC_)

"Great Shogun Shien, attack the final Token and end this Duel!" the young woman called out, "_Burning Execution_!" The shogun strode forwards, towering over the cowering yellow Ojama before cutting down the pathetic monster almost effortlessly, and then his blade struck across Milo, who yelled in pain.

(_Milo 300LP 8SPC_)

Then he cried out again with a note of finality as that burning aura surrounded him to end the Duel…

_**Milo 0LP 8SPC/Kisara 5500LP 9SPC**_

The Security officer's D-Wheel screen shut off, duel layout replaced with a single word in fiery crimson – DEFEAT. Steam vented from the engine as the vehicle locked, systems automatically ceasing operation and causing it to careen to a halt, Milo skillfully skidding it to a sideways stop as he glared at Kisara fiercely, Heraklinos giving a snarl of anger as he faded away.

Kisara stopped a short distance away; her three monsters fading as well as she gave her defeated foe a strange look, a mixture of triumph and questioning wonder.

"Stopped to gloat?" Milo asked.

"You're not like the other officers…" she mused. "They all wanted to bring me in because it was their job… but you… the job doesn't matter to you. You do it because it lets you do something more… something for yourself…"

"And you're running… you're afraid," Milo replied softly. "What of?"

She turned away, angling her D-Wheel down the street. "Goodbye, officer." And with that, she revved the motorcycle's engine and was gone, a blur of black racing away down the street.

Milo was about to shout a curse after her, before realizing how politely the last words had been spoken. He knew about the 'world of speed', about the way D-Wheelers said that in a truly heated battle two D-Wheelers could connect and feel each other's souls pulsating with emotion, but this was the first time he had ever experienced that strange phenomenon for himself. He'd understood her; he'd delved into her heart and in return she had reached into him. No criminal he'd fought had ever been able to do that… but was that because of his own chill attitude to such Duels? Had it been the fire she had roused which let him connect through the world of speed?

He sat back in his D-Wheel's seat, gazing up at the moon as it rose, before dismounting and wheeling his ride to the side of the road while waiting for the systems to unlock and let him ride to meet with his friends. As he did so, he pondered Kisara and that fear and defiance he'd seen in her mind…

SS02

_**Card Stats:**_

_**Spells:**_

Speed World

Field Spell Card

Image: A section of racetrack swathed in a dark purple aura.

Both players may have a copy of this card active simultaneously. This card is automatically activated at the start of the Duel. This card cannot be removed from the field. If you activate a non-'Speed Spell' Spell Speed, take 2000 damage. During each Standby Phase starting from the 2nd turn, place 1 Speed Counter on this card (max 12). When you take damage, remove 1 Speed Counter from this card for each multiple of 1000 damage you took from that instance of damage.

(Speed World was first used by Yusei and Ushio in the 5D's episode 'Riding Duel! Acceleration'. It is not an actual card per say, but rather a virtual card integrated into all D-Wheel mainframes, although Goodwin used a physical copy. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS02

Speed Spell – Count Up

Normal Spell Card

Image: A D-Wheel console in drive mode.

Activate only when you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Send any number of cards from your hand to the Graveyard. Gain 2 Speed Counters for each card sent to the Graveyard this way.

(Speed Spell – Count Up was first used by Ushio in the 5D's episode 'A New Threat'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS02

Speed Spell – Zero Rebirth

Normal Spell Card

Image: A young boxer surrounded by a fiery aura standing over his defeated opponent in a boxing ring.

Activate only while you have 3 or more Speed Counters. Special Summon 1 monster destroyed by an opponent's card effect this turn in Attack Position. Its ATK becomes 0.

(Speed Spell – Zero Rebirth was first used by Yusei in the 5D's episode 'Vengeful Bomber: Trap of Sorrow, Chariot Pile'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS02

Speed Spell – Crash Buffer

Quick-Play Spell Card

Image: Chaosrider Gustaph crashing into a car, with a shield of fiery crimson force around him.

Activate only while you have 3 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 monster you control. The selected monster cannot be destroyed by battle until the End Phase of this turn (damage calculation is applied as normal).

SS

Speed Spell – Death Awaken

Normal Spell Card

Image: A split-screen, with one side depicting a man similar to Spike Spiegel of _Cowboy Bebop _lying dead on the floor, and the other side depicting the same man standing up and facing a gang of armed thugs.

Activate only while you have 6 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 monster in your Graveyard that was sent there from the field, with a Level lower than your Speed Counters and Special Summon it in face-up attack position.

SS

Speed Spell – Slip Draw

Normal Spell Card

Image: A D-Wheeler facing Chthonian Emperor Dragon, Tyrant Dragon and Montage Dragon, as he reaches for a control on his D-Wheel.

Activate only while you have less Speed Counters than your opponent, you control no monsters and your opponent controls a monster with 3000 or higher ATK. Reduce your Speed Counters by 3 or any multiple of 3, and draw 1 card for every 3 Speed Counters removed by this effect. If your Speed Counters are reduced to 0 by this effect, then this card cannot be negated.

SS

Speed Spell – Cyclone Changer

Normal Spell Card

Image: A cyclone erupting from a turbine and blowing against Speed Warrior, Dash Warrior and Rapid Warrior, who are forced into a kneeling defensive position.

Activate only while your Speed Counters are 8 or more below your opponent's. Change the Battle Positions of all face-up monsters on the field.

(The above four cards are my own inventions and creative credit for them goes to me.)

SS02

Speed Spell – Half Seize

Normal Spell Card

Image: An orb of glowing blue and yellow light.

Activate only while you have 3 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 face-up monster your opponent controls. Halve that monster's ATK, and gain an equal amount of Life Points.

(Speed Spell – Half Seize was first used by Jack in the 5D's episode 'The Lone Light: Savior Demon Dragon'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS02

Speed Spell – Angel Baton

Normal Spell Card

Image: A blue-robed angel holding a shining blue crystal between her hands.

Activate while you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Draw 2 cards. Send 1 card from your hand to the Graveyard.

(Speed Spell – Angel Baton was first used by Yusei in the 5D's special episode 'Evolving Duel! Stardust VS Red Demons'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

_**Traps:**_

Support of Six Samurai

Normal Trap Card

Image: The Six Samurai – Yaichi loosing an arrow which strikes a Crimson Ninja about to ambush the charging Six Samurai – Irou.

Activate only while you control only 1 'Six Samurai' monster, which is the only monster you control, and your opponent Summons a monster with higher ATK than that monster. Destroy the Summoned monster.

(Support of Six Samurai is my own invention and creative credit for it goes to me.)

SS02

Baton of the Hero

Normal Trap Card

Image: Freed the Brave Wanderer leading Marauding Captain, Command Knight and Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight into battle.

Activate only during your opponent's turn. Once during this turn, when your opponent declares an attack, you can select the attack target.

(Baton of the Hero was first used by Yusei in the 5D's episode 'Companion's Sincerity, Savior Dragon'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS02

Next time, the final main is introduced, as Kelsey appears! Challenged by a fellow student on the Riding Duel course, she faces them, but can she prevail in this bout and show her skill to her teacher? How will this turn out?

It's Chapter 3 – Speed Edge!


	3. Chapter 3: Speed Edge

(Author's Note: Credit for inspiring the enemy duelist of the chapter goes in part to fellow fanfic author Lux-Nero. Also, creative credit for a certain card used in this chapter also goes to Lux-Nero. Thank you, Lux-Nero, for the inspiration and the card.)

_**Chapter 3 – Speed Edge**_

The moonlight cast silver shades across Neo Domino now as the half-moon rose, night overtaking the city. The wide expanse of Neo Domino Duel Academy was largely silent, except for the solitary roar of a D-Wheel's engine.

Circling the Riding Duel track, a single D-Wheel flashed across the tarmac, plain white in shade with dark grey highlights. Its body was sleek and streamlined, tapering to a narrow spearhead point, while wing-like fins gracefully adorned each side of the motorcycle. Its rider was clad in a plain white, form-fitting Riding Suit trimmed in black also, her helmet white with a crimson, transparent half-face visor. Strands of her chestnut hair escaped the helmet, whipping in the onrushing wind, and her cobalt eyes were unfocused and wild, alive with the world of speed.

Kelsey Asagi gave a joyful cry as her D-Wheel reached the very limits of its speed, the world flashing past her in a vibrant blur of light and color. Her D-Wheel responded to every command, taking corners with ease, and she relished in the simple feeling of the speed, the onrushing wind…

"Going fast makes me feel alive," she murmured into the howling winds, recalling the line from the childish song, and now she understood the words truly, now in that adrenaline rush of simply shooting around the track full-pelt, caring for naught but the wind and the speed. She raced onwards, glad for this, but also sad that it would have to end, looking forward to the D-Wheel license that awaited her in just a few more days should she pass her test. "Then I can help Julian and the others… then I can join them and fight beside them…"

With a roar, another D-Wheel pulled up beside her, this one a dull steely grey, with a jagged, angular form, its wheels spiked for better grip. The rider was a young man, clad in a platinum-grey Riding Suit under a dark duster-coat, his steely grey eyes visible through his clear visor. His angular features seemed permanently set into an expression of disinterest.

"Kelsey," he greeted, inclining his head slightly, voice somewhat cold.

"Hey, Cyrus," she replied, calling out over the wind.

"Having a good time?"

"Yeah… I can't wait until I have my license for real and I can ride a D-Wheel all the time," she said, smiling. Cyrus remained as stoic as ever. "Is something wrong?"

"Nothing," he replied softly. "It's nothing… just thinking." He glanced down at the pocket of his duster, thinking about the photograph safely contained inside.

"Are you going back to Peru soon?" Kelsey asked. "You've got your family, right?" He smiled slightly under his helmet, out of her sight. He had no family, not really. That was a lie… in a sense, anyway.

"Not soon," Cyrus said, shaking his head. "They can manage for a while without me... I'm going to stay around for a while. It's interesting here… in this city, there's so much more than there is in Nazca."

"That's true, I suppose," Kelsey mused. "What's it like for you at home?" He pondered for a moment, effortlessly maneuvering his D-Wheel.

"It's okay, I suppose," he replied. "I've got some friends… my family are decent people, good people. I like it at home… but I like it here too." He laughed. "So this is being torn, huh?"

"Everything has its good side," she answered. "It's just that Neo Domino and Nazca have different good sides, and you're not sure which is really better."

"Home is where the heart is… but I feel kinda like there's something here, something big," Cyrus said. "It's not just that it's a city, more than my home town, but it's just so much more than anything else. I've been in cities, I went to Tokyo for a while, and Kyoto, but Neo Domino is somehow bigger and more than they are…"

She shrugged. "Family and friends are still important, though."

"I've got friends here, like you, right?" She nodded. "Still… I do miss them sometimes…" He glanced up at the stars and the moon.

"It's just natural to miss the people you care about," Kelsey said. "That's part of having them as friends, and family, and more…" He had a melancholy look in his eyes as he pulled away, glancing back.

"Perhaps… missing them means we truly care," he murmured. "I'll see you tomorrow." With that, he was gone, a blur of platinum against the night, as Kelsey continued her ride through the night, still circling the track…

SS03

She rode onward, relishing in the speed and the wind, in the embrace of the world of speed. Kelsey savored the feeling of wind on her skin, the onrush of the acceleration as she floored the controls, boosting the D-Wheel to maximum speed.

Another D-Wheel pulled up, this one dark as night, with crimson highlights red as blood, the D-Wheel shaped like some demonic bat with barbed wing-fins. Crimson headlights shaped like fangs adorned the sharpened prow, and fang-like protrusions jutted downwards from the motorcycle's frame alongside the wheels. The rider was clad in black also, a form-fitting riding suit with a similarly bat-themed helmet edged in crimson, the suit's chest and shoulders padded with some kind of plastic armor. He glanced at her through fang-like lenses red as blood.

"Keisuke," she called to the rider, who inclined his head in return.

"Kelsey," he replied. "It's a bit late for you to be out, isn't it?"

"What about you?" the white-clad D-Wheeler asked.

"I'm dressed for the night," Keisuke chuckled, gesturing to his attire and D-Wheel. "Besides, I can handle anyone out here, even that Black Flare character."

"Black Flare?" Kelsey asked, trying very hard to feign ignorance.

"A mysterious D-Wheeler who goes around at night dueling criminals and beating them," the black-clad D-Wheeler replied, "allegedly he ends his Duels in massive explosions of fire, simultaneously defeating his foes and providing cover to make his getaway."

"I get the 'flare', but 'black'…?"

"Those who've seen him say he dresses all in black, riding a black D-Wheel," Keisuke explained. "Up to now, no-one but criminals have even got close to him, and no-one can defeat him, but that's going to change. I'm going to Duel Black Flare, win and haul him over to the authorities. If he chooses to defy the law, he needs to be brought to justice." He clenched a fist. "That I swear."

"Maybe," Kelsey replied, "you'll go down just the same," he glared at her, "I mean, if he's beaten so many people already, he's got to be a good duelist, right?"

"Skilled or not, injustice will fall in the end," he replied. "I'm just waiting until I have that D-Wheel license so I can make my move." He looked down at the Deck in his D-Wheel's Disk, which clearly was not a hybrid model, there were chains running across its main body. "How about a practice Duel? I need to test myself all I can to face Black Flare." Kelsey smiled.

"Alright," she replied, pressing a control on her D-Wheel as Keisuke mirrored her, Speed World flashing up on both consoles as they transformed to Duel Mode. Bat-like wings spread from the Disk attached to Keisuke's D-Wheel, the two halves of its card panel which connected with a glow of rainbow light. Kelsey's Disk activated also, rotating and connected, expanding to full size with the same glow of rainbow light.

"_Duel Mode, engaged, Autopilot, online. Field Spell, Speed World, active." _The circles of light expanded from their D-Wheels, coating the world in Speed World's purple aura. _"Riding Duel, set, on." _

As the Speed World aura coated the area, a black-clad figure stood on the seating surrounding the Riding Duel track, dressed in a black duster, a black fedora trimmed in crimson angled down over his left eye and with a black, gold-trimmed Duel Disk on his arm, the folded card panel similar to an angel's wing. "Brother…" He stood in the shadows, regarding Keisuke darkly, pale skin covered mostly by the turned-up collar of his duster and the shadow cast by the fedora.

Unaware of the black-clad watcher, a different figure stood watching, a man in a blue Security uniform, his jagged, close-cropped hair black in color, skin darkly tanned. "Hm…"

"Riding Duel, Acceleration!" Kelsey and Keisuke called, unaware of those watching them as their D-Wheels raced forwards, reducing to minimum speed to stay at equal pace.

_**Kelsey 8000LP 0SPC/Keisuke 8000LP 0SPC**_

"Me first!" the black-clad D-Wheeler called, ripping a sixth card from his Deck. _"The Basshaa Deck… rapid swarming and card destruction…" _

"I set one monster card face-down," a reversed monster appeared before his D-Wheel, "and place one reverse card." One more card appeared beside the D-Wheel, before fading out of view. "Turn end!"

_**Kelsey 8000LP 0SPC/Keisuke 8000LP 0SPC**_

"I draw!" Kelsey called, taking a sixth card from her Deck as their D-Wheels sped up (_Kelsey 1SPC_) (_Keisuke 1SPC_).

"I summon Ally Genex Powercall!" In a crackling surge of dark lightning, a monster looking like a robot from the old _Megaman _franchise appeared, bright orange in color with smooth rounded components, lightning bolt symbols adorning its chest and belt, electrical plugs attached to each arm (1700/0). "Now, Ally Genex Powercall, attack his face-down monster!"

Powercall raised its hands and they crackled with power, twin bolts of lightning ripping from the plugs on its arms and frying the face-down anglerfish that appeared glowing with phosphorescence, shattering the Unshaven Angler (1500/1600). Despite the loss, Keisuke smiled.

"I place two cards face-down and end my turn," Kelsey finished, playing two reversed cards, which appeared beside her D-Wheel and vanished.

"In the End Phase, I open my Trap Card – Miracle's Wake!" Keisuke called out, the Trap lifting and causing a glow of heavenly light to appear beside him. "Miracle's Wake brings back a monster destroyed by battle and sent to my Graveyard this turn!" The light coalesced into the form of Unshaven Angler (1500/1600).

_**Kelsey 8000LP 1SPC/Keisuke 8000LP 1SPC**_

"I draw," Keisuke said, drawing his next card as they sped up again (_Kelsey 2SPC_) (_Keisuke 2SPC_).

"When I Release my Unshaven Angler to Advance Summon a Water-Attribute monster, I can count it as two Releases," he said, "so I Release Unshaven Angler," the fish transformed into a sphere of aquatic light, "to Advance Summon Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth!" The sphere exploded, rapidly expanding to form a colossal whale-like fish, with fangs like an eel's, flesh armored in barnacles, coral and rock, massive dark eyes staring down at Kelsey as the monster gave a deep whale-like song, mournful yet powerful (2800/2200).

"Oh no…" Kelsey murmured.

"Now I activate the effect of my Coelacanth, discarding a card," he placed Treeborn Frog into the Graveyard slot of his Disk, "to Special Summon as many Level Four or lower Fish-Type monsters from my Deck as possible! _Call of the Deepsea King_!" Coelacanth gave its song once more and four pillars of water erupted up around it. "I summon Fishborg Blaster, Deepsea Macrotrema and two Oyster Meister!" The pillars of water shattered apart, unleashing a strange robot with a fish-bowl containing a fish for a chest, wielding twin pistols (100/200), a large red eel covered by glowing yellow orb, with two whiskers ending in wicked barbs (600/100) and finally two humanoid forms made from oyster shells stuck together (1600/200x2). "However, their effects are negated and they can't attack, but Fishborg Blaster is a Tuner, so I can still do this… Tune my Level One Fishborg Blaster, to my Level Three Oyster Meister and Level Three Oyster Meister to Synchro Summon…!"

Fishborg Blaster soared upwards followed by the two Oyster Meister, transforming into a glowing gate that descended, encircling the Oyster Meister and reducing them to frameworks which shattered into a total of six glowing stars, aligning with the ring before being consumed by burning light…

"_Called from the depths of night by the melodies of blood, the terrors of myth strive to fight evil. Behold the terror of the oceans whose surging passage sends tremors through the waves! Synchro Summon! Surge to the surface, Kiva Arms – Basshaa!" _

The Synchro Summon shattered, unleashing a large emerald-scaled gill-man with clawed hands, two large fins running down its back, the armor on its chest adorned by two jagged fangs (2200/1200).

"Because my Oyster Meister were sent to the Graveyard from the field, I get an Oyster Token for each," Keisuke continued as two large oysters appeared beside him (0/0x2). "And now I activate the effect of Kiva Arms – Basshaa, letting me Release a monster to destroy a card you control and deal you three-hundred damage, so I Release Deepsea Macrotrema to destroy your Powercall!" The eel dissolved into water which swirled into Basshaa's maw, before being spat as a bullet of water that pierced through and shattered Ally Genex Powercall, then striking Kelsey, who cried out in pain as the bullet stabbed into her.

(_Kelsey 7700LP 2SPC_)

"And now," the masked rider said, "because Deepsea Macrotrema was sent to the Graveyard, all Water-Attribute monsters I control gain five-hundred attack points!" Kiva Arms – Basshaa (2700/1200), Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth (3300/2200) and both Oyster Tokens (500/0x2) all glowed with pale watery energy. "I activate my Basshaa's effect again and Release an Oyster Token to destroy your face-down card on the left! _Basshaa Bullet_!" One of the Oyster Tokens was broken into water and sucked into Basshaa's maw, the bullet firing and shattering the card before striking Kelsey.

(_Kelsey 7400LP 2SPC_)

"I can only activate Basshaa's effect each turn a number of times up to the number of non-Tuner Synchro Materials I used for him, so now, Basshaa, attack her directly!" Keisuke commanded, the fish-man tearing forwards and ripping its claws across Kelsey's chest, making her cry out in pain.

(_Kelsey 4700LP 0SPC_)

"Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth, attack!" The gigantic whale-like fish lashed its tail, smashing it down on Kelsey and making her scream in agony.

(_Kelsey 1400LP 0SPC_)

"I end my turn with a reversed card," the masked D-Wheeler finished, the reverse card appearing beside his D-Wheel and vanishing.

"So you pulled the Basshaa combo… but is it going to win here, brother?" the duster-and-fedora-clad watcher murmured into the shadows as Basshaa (2200/1200) and Coelacanth (2800/2200) stopped glowing.

_**Kelsey 1400LP 0SPC/Keisuke 8000LP 2SPC**_

"I draw," Kelsey called, ripping the card from her Deck as they accelerated (_Kelsey 1SPC_) (_Keisuke 3SPC_).

"Because you control at least two monsters with the same Attribute, I can Special Summon Alector, Sovereign of Birds from my hand!" she called out, playing a card. In a burst of howling wind, a majestic bird-man clad in shining silver armor appeared, spreading dark crimson wings and clenching his dark claws with a shriek (2400/2000).

"And I activate my face-down card – Fish Depth Charge!" Keisuke countered. "By Releasing a Fish-Type monster, I can destroy a card you control and draw a card!" The Trap lifted and his remaining Oyster Token shot at Alector swathed in burning energy…

"I activate my Trap Card, Seven Tools of the Bandit, paying a thousand Life Points to stop your Depth Charge and destroy it!" Kelsey retorted, a red glow surrounding her.

(_Kelsey 400LP 1SPC_)

Then the Oyster Token shattered along with the Fish Depth Charge card, causing Keisuke to grimace.

"Now I summon Recycle Genex," she continued, playing a card, which caused a portal to open beside her D-Wheel and disgorge a strange, blocky machine made of black metal, humanoid in shape with what seemed to be a radio for a head (200/400), "and activate the Trap Card, Weather Forecast!" Her second Trap Card lifted up, bearing the image of a Witty Phantom seemingly performing, as the name implied, a weather forecast in front of a green screen. "Once per turn, Weather Forecast lets me discard a card to change the Attribute of any face-up monster until the End Phase, so I discard my Ally Genex Over-Charge," she placed the card into the Graveyard, "to turn my Alector into a Fire-Attribute monster." Alector began to glow with a fiery aura. "And now… I Tune my Level One Recycle Genex, to my Level Six Alector, Sovereign of Birds, to Synchro Summon…!"

Recycle Genex soared upwards, followed by Alector, and shattered into shards which reformed into a gate of dark power, the gate encircling Alector and reducing him to six burning stars which aligned and connected into a pillar of dark flame…

"_Judgment brought with earth, fire and light, the trinity of courage, power and wisdom lights the path of a hero of justice!" _Kelsey chanted as the flames burned beside her D-Wheel, _"Now, count up your sins! Synchro Summon…!"_

"'Now, count up your sins?'" Keisuke echoed.

In the stands, the duster-clad watcher smiled. "So it seems someone else has a touch of a masked rider… huh, brother?" He glanced at Keisuke. "Who'd have seen that coming?"

The Security officer further along the stands watched the Duel with interest. "I wonder…"

"_Accelerate, Ally Genex Triforce!" _Kelsey shouted, causing the burning darkness to rip apart into shards and embers. From the shattered flames emerged a heroic, heavily-built white android, clad in sleek, streamlined armor, a crimson visor covering its face and a massive tri-blaster built onto its right arm, which hummed with power as Triforce struck a heroic pose (2500/2100).

"Powerful as that monster may be, it can't defeat my Coelacanth," Keisuke said.

"Ally Genex Triforce, attack Kiva Arms – Basshaa!" his opponent commanded. _"Tri-Buster!" _Triforce raised its mighty blaster and fired three burning red beams from it, the beams spiraling together into one, which tore through Kiva Arms – Basshaa and reduced it to atoms before searing across Keisuke, who snarled in pain.

(_Keisuke 7700LP 3SPC_)

"Because my Triforce was summoned with a Fire-Attribute non-Tuner Synchro Material, when it destroys a monster in battle, you take damage equal to the destroyed monster's attack points!" Kelsey declared as blasts of flame roared from Triforce's blaster and engulfed her opponent.

(_Keisuke 5500LP 1SPC_)

As the fires faded, Keisuke thumped his D-Wheel console in frustration. _"I don't have enough Speed Counters now!" _

"I end my turn," Kelsey finished.

_**Kelsey 400LP 1SPC/Keisuke 5500LP 1SPC**_

"My draw," Keisuke said with a hint of bitterness and anger to his voice (_Kelsey 2SPC_) (_Keisuke 2SPC_).

"During my Standby Phase, because I have no Spell or Trap Cards in play, I can Special Summon Treeborn Frog from my Graveyard," he continued, a glow of light before him forming into a yellow, black-striped frog with angelic wings and a cross-bandage on its chin, which curled up defensively (100/100). "Now, because I control a Level Three or lower Water-Attribute monster, I can discard once," he placed a copy of Speed Spell – Acceleration Draw into his Graveyard, "to Special Summon Fishborg Blaster from the Graveyard." The robot with a fish-bowl for a chest appeared, crouching defensively (100/200).

"Now I summon Metabo-Shark!" With a snarl, a large bloated six-finned shark covered in chains and jewels appeared, opening its mouth to reveal rows of serrated fangs (1800/500). "And because I Normal Summoned Metabo-Shark, I can return two Fish-Type monsters from my Graveyard to my Deck!" The two Oyster Meister slipped from his Graveyard and he placed them onto his Deck, which shuffled automatically. "Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth, attack Ally Genex Triforce!" Coelacanth reared up, preparing to crush Triforce…

"I activate the effect of Ally Genex Over-Charge from my Graveyard!" Kelsey countered as the phantom image of a heroic figure with Tesla coils attached to its back, clad in a dark metal bodysuit with a visor shaded in electric-blue appeared beside Ally Genex Triforce. "By removing Over-Charge in my Graveyard from play when an Ally Genex is attacked, the attack target gains eight-hundred attack points for the Damage Step!" She pocketed the card and Triforce glowed with crackling, electrical power (3300/2100), raising its blaster and firing those three spiraling beams into Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth, the beams piercing through the monster's form and consuming it in a burning blaze as Keisuke cried out in shock and horror, the burning force washing over him.

(_Keisuke 5000LP 2SPC_)

Then Triforce fired its blaster again, unleashing blasts of molten flame which consumed the masked D-Wheeler and making him howl in pain.

(_Keisuke 2200LP 0SPC_)

"I… end my turn…" Keisuke finished, defeated. Nothing in his hand could help stop the defeat about to envelop and overwhelm him, and so he accepted it as Ally Genex Triarm stopped glowing (2500/2100).

_**Kelsey 400LP 2SPC/Keisuke 2200LP 0SPC**_

"I draw," Kelsey said, barely registering their acceleration (_Kelsey 3SPC_) (_Keisuke 1SPC_).

"Ally Genex Triarm, attack Metabo-Shark! _Tri-Buster_!" Triarm fired its triple beam into Metabo-Shark, atomizing the monster before searing into Keisuke, who made no sound as the beams consumed him.

(_Keisuke 1500LP 1SPC_)

Then the flames washed over him, and he remained silent, stoic in defeat even as his Life Points and Speed Counters hit zero.

_**Kelsey 400LP 3SPC/Keisuke 0LP 0SPC**_

The crimson DEFEAT flashed onto Keisuke's screen as his D-Wheel cut out, steam venting from the engine as it skidded to a stop, card panel retracting back.

Kelsey brought her own D-Wheel to a stop with a smile on her face beneath her helmet, as Ally Genex Triforce, Fishborg Blaster, Treeborn Frog and Weather Forecast faded away.

"That was a good Duel," Keisuke said, and he smiled too. "You impressed me, really, you did Kelsey. To get past Basshaa and Coelacanth… that's one of the most impressive things I've ever seen anyone do. I'd hate to face you in a ground Duel… I imagine your Deck's faster there."

"Ground Duels aren't going to be on my resume once I can ride full-time," she replied. "The world of speed… the wind and the rush… I love it too much to Duel without it."

"I don't know about that," he smiled. "But you're right… I enjoy Riding Duels so much more… because of those sensations, the wind, the speed…"

"That's why you're all here." Startled, they both looked to see the Security officer who had been watching the Duel.

"Officer Ushio," Keisuke greeted with a respectful nod.

"You're here because you want to live the world of speed as much as you can, instead of being restricted to lives lived in this normal world without that speed," Ushio continued. "That's why you train so hard and work so hard. Because you want your licenses so much, in order to get that rush from the world of speed. I'm a D-Wheeler, I feel the same. That's why I want you to succeed."

"Officer Ushio!" Ushio glanced aside from the two D-Wheelers to see another Security officer, astride a Security-issue D-Wheel wearing the blue and white Security helmet. Bangs of dark blue hair cut across his forehead, and his dark eyes were narrowed in worry, face set in a concerned expression.

"Kazama? What's wrong?" Ushio asked.

"It's Black Flare! He's been spotted engaging a criminal in a Riding Duel within the Daimon Area!" Kazama replied urgently. Ushio frowned.

"I'm sorry, both of you, but this is urgent," he said to Keisuke and Kelsey. "Get your D-Wheels packed up and head home while Kazama and I handle this."

"Yes, officer," Keisuke said, while Kelsey merely nodded, hiding the worry in her eyes as she turned to wheel away her D-Wheel, Keisuke following in her wake as Ushio sprinted away to the side of the stands, where his D-Wheel was parked, missing the man still stood in the shadows, who gazed on as the Security officer mounted his D-Wheel and shot off into the distance beside Kazama, before stepping into the light.

"It's time to meet Black Flare," he murmured, and from the shadows under the stand stepped another figure, a young woman clad in an emerald Riding Suit, her helmet held loosely in one hand, her brown hair billowing out in the wind as her emerald eyes narrowed.

"We've watched long enough," she replied. "Let's experience his power first-hand, and see if he does have a Spirit, Taiga." The dark-clad young man nodded, adjusting his fedora slightly, before laying a hand on his Deck.

"It's time to fan the flames and see what they're truly like," he mused. "Let's ride, Sarayu." The both of them strode away, snapping their fingers in unison and calling out together.

"_Shōkan,-fū no genso-ba!"_

_"Shōkan, yami no genso-ba!"_

Two portals ripped open beside them, the first emerald-green, the second pitch-dark, and from them burst two blurred forms, tearing across the field before crashing down before the two, who regarded the things they had summoned. The being from the emerald portal was a large emerald-hued bird, with a jagged beak and wings seemingly forged from the wind itself, as the feathers seemed to swirl and twist constantly, the depths of the creature's emerald eyes likewise ever-changing.

The being summoned from the black portal was entirely different, a pale demonic horse, with eyes of dark fire, clawed hooves, a reptilian tail ending in vicious barbs and a mouth filled with ugly, demonic fangs. It snorted contemptuously, sending embers of shadow through the air as it clawed the ground impatiently. Taiga petted the creature with an arrogant smirk on his face, clearly liking his power over the monster. Sarayu gave a disapproving look as she mounted the bird, lightly stroking its feathers as she wrapped her arms around its neck and clicked her tongue, causing it to explode into the sky and shoot after Ushio and Kazama. Taiga smirked even more, leaping onto the demon horse and slapping its flank.

"Ya!" With that, the creature launched after its fellow, claws ripping across the earth as Taiga rode bareback, somehow hanging on despite the lack of a saddle or other riding gear, but then this was not a creature to accept bit or bridle. It was an elemental being called to serve, and powerful enchantments had bound it to ensure so.

The two riders blazed through the night, Taiga somehow catching up to and keeping pace with Sarayu's avian steed despite being earthbound, bearing an anticipant smirk as he dipped the angle of his fedora lower over his eye again. It was time to spark the flames…

Two D-Wheels thundered through the night, the first shaped like a chopper, with dark blades attached to each wheel hub, painted in shades of dark blue and gold, its rider wearing a dark blue suit over a white shirt, a dark blue helmet thrown haphazardly onto his head. Beside the D-Wheel were two monsters, one a strange centaur-like reptilian clad in pitch-dark armor on its chest, hips and flanks over its emerald flesh, wielding a scimitar of alien design (1900/800), while the second was a towering, hideous alien with white, bony armor over purple flesh, the armor studded with purple orbs, the terror's four arms ending in wicked, barbed claws, its maw filled with vicious fangs (2300/1500).

The second was pitch-dark and designed like an average motorcycle, the rider clad in a pitch-dark duster over a crimson Riding Suit marked with a black, burning dragon over his heart, his face covered entirely by a black opaque visor attached to his crimson helmet. Beside this D-Wheel was an invisible face-down, and two monsters, the first a light-purple-skinned demon clad in dark jeans adorned with chains, a crimson bone crest crowning its skull as a fiery aura burned around it (2100/1200), and the second a large, crimson reptilian creature with feathered wings, a draconic tail lashing behind it as embers burned in its maw (1200/1800). The first duelist was on eighteen-hundred Life Points and two Speed Counters, while the second was on thirty-six-hundred Life Points and three Speed Counters. It was the second duelist's turn, and he had one card in his hand.

Ushio and Kazama rode up behind the two, linking to the Duel feed to check the ongoing conflict.

"So that's Black Flare…" Kazama murmured, staring at the D-Wheeler in the black duster.

"Focus, Kazama," Ushio said somewhat sternly, taking in the Duel. "So it seems Black Flare is winning…"

"He's supposed to be undefeatable… I guess we're about to see his power…" Kazama murmured.

"It's my draw!" Black Flare called from up ahead, his voice deep and cold, deep with an anger towards this insignificant criminal who dared stand before him as he ripped the card from his Deck. "Activate, Speed Spell – Vision Wind! As my Speed Counters are at two or above, Vision Wind revives a Level Two or lower monster from my Graveyard, like my Tuner Monster, Neoflamvell Origin!" In a burning flare, a fire sprite something like a pale blue campfire appeared, chirping happily before staring at the criminal with joy (500/200).

"Big deal," the criminal laughed. "One more monster for my Shocktrooper and Mother to kill!" His monsters gave guttural growls of hunger, and Black Flare seemed to shake with rage, before gesturing violently forwards.

"Your Aliens will burn along with you!" he snarled. "I now call upon the fires of destruction! Burn! I Tune the Level Two Neoflamvell Origin, to the Level Five Flamvell Fiend and Level Three Neoflamvell Garuda, to ignite the wrath with which your freedom will cease! Synchro Summon! Blaze!"

The sprite exploded, releasing two fiery gates which encircled the Fiend and Garuda, reducing them to molten silhouettes from which flew eight stars, the stars aligning as fire swirled around them, the Synchro Summon exploding into an almighty blaze. It was so hot and bright that Ushio and Kazama, several hundred metres back, were forced to shield their faces and eyes from the heat and light.

"This heat… how can Solid Vision make… this…?" Kazama groaned, feeling the searing heat on his hand.

"It's… impossible…" Ushio whispered, likewise feeling the intense heat.

A feral, fiery chant sounded, the words too distant for the Security officers to hear properly, and then an earth-shaking roar came from the heart of the fire, something bursting up as wings of magma and fire spread. Liquid flame dripped from the beast's form as Ushio and Kazama squinted to try and make it out, but found it impossible through the burning light as the creature hung there, swathed in fire and power, apparently gazing down at the criminal, who gave a cry of utter terror.

"I activate the Trap Card, Fuel Recovery!" Black Flare shouted over the howling fire. "This Trap Card returns up to three Fire-Attribute monsters sent to the Graveyard this turn to my hand, but those cards cannot be Summoned or Set until my second Standby Phase after Fuel Recovery is used!" The Synchro Material Monsters just used as sacrifice slipped out of the Graveyard slot of the Duel Disk connected to the D-Wheel, and he took them in hand. "And now… this ends! Behold the fires of Hell! _Stellar Flare_!"

There was a burning, hellish flash of flame, the criminal screamed once, terribly, and then silence descended as that terrible burning light was gone, the fires dissipating in one instant as the Synchro Monster overhead vanished. The criminal's monsters had gone too, consumed by fire and ruin, the very ground underfoot charred, melted and broken by the impact of whatever terrible force had ended the Duel in Black Flare's favor.

The man himself sat astride his D-Wheel, gazing back across the destruction, at the centre of which was the criminal, his clothes charred and his D-Wheel a wreck. He lay unconscious, or possibly worse, overcome by that final terrible strike.

"I will not suffer the unjust to run free," Black Flare spoke to the destruction, and to Ushio and Kazama on the other side of that waste, where flames still burned on the surface of the road. "That is an insult to _me_, and I will not allow it."

"Stop! You're under arrest!" Kazama shouted back, and Black Flare chuckled darkly.

"As much respect as I have for the Public Security Maintenance Bureau, I can't indulge your request, officer. Not if I want to continue my good work to the people of this city. So I'm afraid I'll have to say no."

"Then I'll take you by force!" the Security officer shouted, revving his D-Wheel and shooting towards the masked vigilante, who shook his head.

"You caused this," he said softly, taking a card from his Graveyard and playing it. "Stop him, Flamvell Firedog!" With a fierce howl, a massive wolf forged from volcanic rock and magma burst from a burning explosion before him, charging. Kazama swerved, crying out in alarm, but the Firedog pounced, tackling the officer's D-Wheel and knocking it flying into a patch of melted tarmac, causing it to sink slightly into the sticky substance. Kazama was about to fall in, but Black Flare whistled through his mask and suddenly a pair of jaws bit down on the officer's collar and he was hurled onto a solid patch of tarmac, landing with a cry of pain, but secretly glad he hadn't fallen head-first into the melted tarmac, before Flamvell Firedog landed between him and Black Flare, growling menacingly. Somehow, the 'hologram' seemed far more threatening this close, especially with that heat it radiated and how its eyes actually seemed to burn with rage…

Before Kazama could further appreciate how real the Firedog seemed it was gone, the card removed from Black Flare's Duel Disk as the vigilante stared at his two opponents darkly, before gesturing to the criminal with his free hand, placing the Flamvell Firedog card back onto his Deck.

"There you go, officers," he said. "Kohei Aoyama, wanted on counts of hacking governmental databases and extorting businesses of their profits through blackmail. Also, the D-Wheel is stolen. I've done half the job, now all that remains is for him to be taken in and processed. I'll leave that to you good men." With that, he turned the D-Wheel.

"Stop!" Ushio roared, eliciting a laugh from Black Flare.

"Sorry, officer, but I already explained this, I want to do this city a service, and so I'm afraid I can't give up to you. Maybe once this city's scum is purged entirely. But not now." With that, he revved the engine and burst away down the street, leaving the two officers staring after him…

From a nearby rooftop, Taiga and Sarayu observed the apocalyptic aftermath of the Duel, still astride their respective steeds. Taiga bore a dark smirk, while Sarayu had a rather more concerned look on her face.

"He seems like an interesting man," the fedora and duster-clad young man mused. "He certainly fits Fire."

"Is that guy he beat alright, though?" Sarayu asked. Her companion laughed.

"He's a criminal. Who cares what Black Flare did to him? Clearly, he doesn't."

"That doesn't mean we should share his attitude," she snapped, affronted. "What if he killed the guy?" Taiga shrugged.

"That's one less criminal on the streets. The way I see it, Black Flare's already doing this world a service… I think he'd like the chance to step up to the next level. All we need to do is see just whether he does have the Spirit of Fire, or not," the dark-clad young man said, turning his demonic steed. "So, who'll do it? You, or me?" Sarayu glared at him for a moment.

"I'll do it… I want to beat a lesson into him now anyway," she muttered, before whistling and causing her avian steed to spread its wings and take flight, soaring after Black Flare. Taiga laughed, before urging his demon horse on with a slap to the flank, sending it galloping along, leaping from rooftop to rooftop after her.

"Things just got interesting," he smirked…

SS03

_**Card Stats:**_

_**Monsters:**_

Ally Genex Powercall

DARK/ Machine/Effect /Level 4/ATK: 1700/DEF: 0

Other face-up monsters you control with this card's Attribute gain 500 ATK.

SS03

Ally Genex Triforce

DARK/ Machine/Synchro/Effect /Level 7/ATK: 2500/DEF: 2100

1 'Genex' Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

This card gains the following effects based on the Attributes of the non-Tuner monsters used in this card's Synchro Summon: ● EARTH: If this card attacks, your opponent cannot activate any Spell or Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step. ● FIRE: If this card destroys a monster by battle, inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's ATK. ● LIGHT: Once per turn, you can select 1 LIGHT monster in your Graveyard and Set it in face-down Defense Position.

(The Ally Genex monsters were released in the Duel Terminal sets Charge of the Genex and Pulse of the Trishula in the OCG. They will likely be released in future Duel Terminal and Hidden Arsenal sets in the TCG. Note that I have used original names for all pre-existing Genex monsters, and likely will continue to do so, as I prefer the original names for these cards.)

SS03

Kiva Arms – Basshaa

WATER/ Fish/Synchro/Effect /Level 7/ATK: 2200/DEF: 1200

1 Fish-Type Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters

This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Synchro Summon. You can only control 1 'Kiva Arms' monster. You can Tribute 1 other monster you control to destroy a card your opponent controls and inflict 300 damage to your opponent. Each turn, you can only activate this effect a number of times equal to or lower than the number of non-Tuner monsters used for this card's Synchro Summon.

SS03

Ally Genex Over-Charge

DARK/ Machine/Effect /Level 2/ATK: 800/DEF: 500

During your opponent's Battle Phase, when an 'Ally Genex' monster you control is declared as an attack target, you can remove this card in your Graveyard from play to have that monster gain 800 ATK until the end of the Damage Step.

(The above two cards are my own inventions and creative credit for them goes to me. However, I do not own the inspiration for Kiva Arms – Basshaa, and therefore credit for that goes to the makers of _Kamen Rider Kiva_. Also credit must be given to Lux-Nero for giving me inspiration for both Keisuke and this Synchro Monster.)

**_Spells:_**

Speed Spell - Vision Wind

Normal Spell Card

Image: Speed Warrior at the centre of a vortex of white wind within Speed World.

Activate only while you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Select and Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower monster from your Graveyard. Destroy it during the End Phase.

_**Traps:**_

Weather Forecast

Continuous Trap Card

Image: A Witty Phantom standing before a green screen with a TV camera aimed at him.

Once per turn, you may discard one card from your hand. Select one face up monster on the field and declare one Attribute. Change the selected monster's Attribute to the declared attribute until the end phase of the turn (this card's effect can be used during either player's turn).

(This card was created by fellow fanfic author Lux-Nero, and creative credit for it goes to him, as does thanks for letting me use it.)

SS03

Fuel Recovery

Normal Trap Card

Image: Zure, Knight of Dark World directing a group of Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World, Scarr, Scout of Dark World and Broww, Huntsman of Dark World to load Charcoal Inpachi onto a cart, as Kokazy stands by, rubbing his hands together with a dark smirk on his face.

Select up to 3 FIRE monsters which were sent to your Graveyard this turn. Add those cards to your hand, and they cannot be Summoned or Set from your hand until your second Standby Phase after this card's activation.

(Fuel Recovery is my own invention and creative credit for it goes to me.)

SS03

Next time, just who are Taiga and Sarayu? What is this 'Spirit of Fire' they mentioned? What was that creature Black Flare won with? Who's behind that mask? Why is he so determined to bring down criminals? And when Sarayu clashes with the masked fire-wielder, just what will happen?

To find out… its Chapter Four next, 'Burning Strike'!


	4. Chapter 4: Burning Strike

_**Chapter 4 – Burning Strike**_

Ushio sped down the highway, racing after Black Flare, who was barely visible ahead as a dark blur on the road.

"Stop!" he roared after the vigilante. "Or I'll be forced to impose a Riding Duel!" As if on cue, his console suddenly changed to Duel Mode, and he gasped in shock. "What?"

"_Duel Mode engaged. Autopilot online. Field Spell Card, Speed World, active." _Speed World flashed up on his console, spinning and vanishing as its aura coated the world around. Ushio glanced ahead, but Black Flare's D-Wheel showed no signs of entering Duel Mode, so…

"Who the hell just hacked my D-Wheel?" he shouted.

"That would be me!" With a majestic neigh, the pale demonic horse leapt from the rooftops, crashing down with hardly any impact as Taiga laughed, his Duel Disk activating as he drew five cards, not even bothering to hold onto his mount. "The name is Taiga, officer, and I'm afraid Black Flare is going to be busy in a moment, so I can't have you getting in his way!"

"How did you hack my D-Wheel from a _horse_?" Ushio cried in disbelief.

"If I were to tell you, chances are you wouldn't believe me," the duster-clad young man smirked. "But the only way to get rid of me is to Duel, so we might as well lose the questions and get down to business, right?" He laughed.

"Damn you… I'll break you down and then go after that cursed vigilante…" the officer snarled as his D-Wheel chimed out the last words.

"_Riding Duel, set, on."_

"Riding Duel, Acceleration!" the two called in unison…

SS04

Black Flare raced onwards, staring through his visor at the road ahead, barely thinking about the criminal he had just defeated. It was just one more piece of scum burnt from the streets in his mind, and he hardly cared anymore. Once all the scum of the streets was gone, _then _he would celebrate, but not now. There was still too much to do.

He glanced up at the moon, so opposite of the burning sun of the day, the sun that was the very symbol of fire in the sky. It seemed almost wrong sometimes that he pursued his aims under the black shroud of night and the silver gaze of the moon, but it had to be this way. Perhaps someday he could show himself in daylight and show this whole city his burning power, but not yet. Right now, they saw him as a mere vigilante, an irritation who might be pursuing a righteous aim, but who was insignificant.

They would soon see how wrong they were when he proved his power. The criminal scum quaking under the city had experienced his power… these citizens needed to know that Security was helpless. Only someone truly determined to destroy the criminal underworld of Neo Domino could ever do something about it, and Black Flare was that man, wielding a burning force which would eradicate the criminals. That was what he had sworn to do, and so he would, he would punish every last one of them with fire and ruin until crime was gone entirely, with the criminals too afraid of his fire to pursue their vices.

Suddenly, he glanced down as his D-Wheel's console began to change shape, shifting into Duel Mode. "What?"

With a piercing shriek, Sarayu's avian steed swept down, soaring beside the vigilante, who gave a gasp of surprise and shock through his visor.

"Black Flare," Sarayu said, glaring darkly at him. "I am Sarayu Aliento, and I have come to challenge you, but also to punish you for your ruthless attacks." Black Flare gave a snarl.

"If you mean my Duels with criminals, Sarayu, they deserve it… the moment they overstep the line of the law, the moment they open themselves to receive my burning wrath! I'll punish them all! And if you want to challenge that decree, so be it! I'll show you those flames myself!" He tapped a control on his D-Wheel.

"_Duel Mode, engaged. Autopilot, online. Field Spell Card, Speed World, active. Riding Duel, set, on." _He drew five cards as Sarayu activated her Duel Disk, the aura of Speed World surrounding them as the young woman drew her own five cards.

"Riding Duel, Acceleration!"

_**Black Flare 8000LP 0SPC/Sarayu 8000LP 0SPC**_

"Ladies first," Black Flare said coldly.

"Thanks," Sarayu replied with just as cold an edge to her voice as she drew. "I play a reversed monster face-down, place one face-down card and end my turn." Two face-down cards appeared beside her D-Wheel, the latter vanishing from sight.

_**Black Flare 8000LP 0SPC/Sarayu 8000LP 0SPC**_

"I see you don't mess around," Black Flare commented, drawing, "but then, neither do I!" Their D-Wheels accelerated as they each gained a Speed Counter (_Black Flare 1SPC_) (_Sarayu 1SPC_).

"I summon Neoflamvell Sabre!" In a burning flare, a savage-looking man wielding a flaming cutlass appeared, with a burning mane of fire, clad in dark green trousers and tunic under dark armor (1500/200). "And with four or less cards in your Graveyard, my Sabre gains six-hundred attack points!" Neoflamvell Sabre lit with a burning aura, readying his blade (2100/200). "Now, Neoflamvell Sabre, attack her reversed monster with _Flame Blade_!" The burning sword swung at the face-down monster, which flipped over and was revealed as an emerald-green pterodactyl with crimson eyes, shielding itself with white wings (0/900), the blade bouncing away from the defensive monster as Neoflamvell Sabre growled and retreated.

"Twice per turn, my Shield Wing cannot be destroyed by battle," Sarayu explained, smiling slightly. Black Flare pulled two more cards from his hand and tossed them into his Duel Disk.

"I place these reversed cards," he snapped, the cards appearing and vanishing, "and end my turn!"

_**Black Flare 8000LP 1SPC/Sarayu 8000LP 1SPC**_

"I draw!" Sarayu called out, taking a new card from her Deck as the both of them accelerated (_Black Flare 2SPC_) (_Sarayu 8000LP 2SPC_).

"I activate Speed Spell – Count Up, discarding my Stealth Bird to gain two Speed Counters!" She placed the monster into her Graveyard and accelerated drastically (_Sarayu 4SPC_). "And now I activate Speed Spell – Tailwind!" The Speed Spell that appeared wasn't familiar to Black Flare; it bore the image of Alector, Sovereign of Birds soaring onto a racetrack beside an emerald D-Wheel with a tailwind blowing fiercely behind him. "Tailwind activates when I have four or more Speed Counters, and it lets me Advance Summon a Wind-Attribute monster in my hand with one less Release this turn." A fierce tailwind started to blow from behind them, whipping Sarayu's hair around in its passage. "So I now Release my Shield Wind," the pterodactyl shrieked as it faded into rainbow light, "to Advance Summon Simorgh, Bird of Ancestry!"

The light twisted and reformed into a colossal bird with four immense wings, golden in hue with burning crimson eyes, shining radiantly as it gave a terrifying predator shriek (2900/2000). "Because I just Advance Summoned my Bird of Ancestry by Releasing Wind-Attribute monsters alone, I can now return two cards you control to their owner's hand. I'll return both of your reversed cards!" Simorgh flapped its wings and Black Flare gave a cry of rage as both of his face-down cards appeared and shot back into his hand.

"No!"

"Simorgh, Bird of Ancestry, attack Neoflamvell Sabre! _Ancestral Hurricane_!" Sarayu shouted, her avian steed soaring upwards as the Bird of Ancestry flapped its wings, unleashing blades of razor-sharp wind which tore Neoflamvell Sabre apart before ripping into Black Flare, who snarled in pain, looking down to see cuts torn into his coat by the blades.

(_Black Flare 7200LP 2SPC_)

"Poetic justice… you unleash the power of the shadows on your opponents, and now you're faced with it," Sarayu said, bringing the avian she rode back down to Black Flare's level as her majestic monster shrieked from overhead.

"I'll make those 'shadows' burn with my fire!" Black Flare shouted.

"We'll see," the emerald-clad rider smiled. "Turn end.

_**Black Flare 7200LP 2SPC/Sarayu 8000LP 4SPC**_

"My turn!" the vigilante snarled angrily, ripping a card from his Deck as they accelerated (_Black Flare 3SPC_) (_Sarayu 5SPC_).

"I place my two face-downs again, along with a third," he placed the two cards bounced to his hand by Sarayu's Bird of Ancestry last turn back into his Disk along with a third card, causing them to appear before him in flares of light before vanishing again, "and activate Speed Spell – Friction Reborn!" A Speed Spell unfamiliar to Sarayu appeared, depicting a Volcanic Scattershot bursting up from the sparks of a D-Wheel's tire on the road. "Friction Reborn lets me reduce my Speed Counters by two, and in exchange, I can then Special Summon a Fire-Attribute monster from my Graveyard whose Level is equal to the difference between our Speed Counters!" He instantly slowed down immensely (_Black Flare 1SPC_), before flames burned up beside him, forming into Neoflamvell Sabre (1500/200 – 2100/200), who drew his burning blade.

"So you brought back your monster," Sarayu scoffed. "It won't help you."

"You're wrong… each of my lesser monsters is a spark of potential, ready to be fed with fuel… and create an inferno of power!" Black Flare declared, playing another card. "Speed Spell – Acceleration Balance! This card only works while one of us is ahead, and it forces the player who's ahead to lose Speed Counters until their total equals their opponent's, but in exchange, that player gets to draw once for every two counters they lost!" Sarayu cried out in shock as four of the five orbs representing her Speed Counters winked out of existence, causing her avian mount to slow down until it flew beside Julian, the emerald-clad young woman grudging pulling two more cards from her Deck (_Sarayu 1SPC_).

"So you slowed me down… how does that benefit you?" Sarayu asked.

"Like this," the vigilante replied, playing a monster card, "I summon my Tuner monster, Flare Resonator!" In a burning flare, a fiendish creature clad in a black shroud appeared, wielding a tuning fork and a drumstick tipped in red, a crimson inferno burning on its back (300/1300). "And now… Tuning! Level Three Flare Resonator Tunes to Level Four Neoflamvell Sabre! Synchro Summon!" He snapped his fingers. "Ignite!"

Flare Resonator struck its tuning fork, combusting and releasing three rings of flame which encircled Neoflamvell Sabre, burning it away to release four glowing stars, the stars aligning before being consumed by a raging inferno as Black Flare launched into his chant.

"_Fire from the dawn of the earth, minerals hammered into shape upon the forge of Vulcan himself! A spark of the divine shall now light an inferno which consumes the shadows covering this sundered earth! Synchro Summon! Now, ignite! Ancient God Flamvell!" _

The Synchro Summon exploded into flames as a towering, thirty-foot giant of dark metal rose up, wings of burning flame lighting behind it as a prominence of fire formed a mane, the Synchro Monster roaring as it clenched burning fists, its fiery eyes glaring at Sarayu's Bird of Ancestry as Simorgh shrieked (2500/200).

"Because my Ancient God Flamvell was summoned using Flare Resonator as a Tuner, it gains three-hundred attack points," Black Flare said as Ancient God Flamvell glowed (2800/200), "and now its own effect activates, when it's Synchro Summoned, I can remove from play cards in your Graveyard up to the number of cards in your hand, so I'll remove your Shield Wing, Stealth Bird and Speed Spell – Tailwind," Sarayu grudgingly pocketed the cards, "then Ancient God Flamvell gains two-hundred attack points for each card removed!" Fire burned brightly around the Synchro Monster as it roared (3400/200).

"Damn it…" Sarayu snarled.

"Ancient God Flamvell, destroy Simorgh, Bird of Ancestry! _Vulcan's Hammer_!" A hammer of flames formed in Ancient God Flamvell's hand and it swung the weapon into the majestic avian, crushing it into the road in an explosion of flame and pixels, Sarayu crying out as fire burned into her.

(_Sarayu 7500LP 1SPC_)

"Feel the fires of my vengeance," Black Flare said darkly. "I end my turn."

"In your End Phase, I activate Miracle's Wake, reviving my Simorgh!" Sarayu declared as a pillar of heavenly light burst up beside her, shattering to reveal the Bird of Ancestry reborn (2900/2000).

_**Black Flare 7200LP 1SPC/Sarayu 7500LP 1SPC**_

"I draw!" Sarayu shouted angrily, an orb appearing beside her as the two of them sped up (_Black Flare 2SPC_) (_Sarayu 2SPC_).

"With my Bird of Ancestry in play, I can Normal Summon Wind-Attribute monsters with one less Release, so I now summon my Alector, Sovereign of Birds!" The armored bird-man Kelsey had used against Keisuke appeared with a shriek, spreading his crimson wings into the night (2400/2000). "And I activate my Alector's effect, negating the effect of a face-up card on the field, like your Ancient God Flamvell!" Alector shrieked and an emerald aura surrounded Ancient God Flamvell, causing it to groan in pain (2800/200).

Beneath his visor, Black Flare just smirked.

"Simorgh, tear down that false god!" Simorgh, Bird of Ancestry flapped its wings, unleashing blades of razor-wind towards the towering giant…

"There's a saying…" Black Flare said softly, "which goes… 'Look before you leap!'" One of his face-downs lifted up. "I activate my Meteor Wave Trap Card!" The card lifted to full height, bearing the image of Flamvell Urquizas descending through an atmosphere swathed in flame amidst a meteor shower. "Meteor Wave lets me select a Synchro Monster on my field to give it three-hundred more attack points and a Piercing effect until the End Phase!" Ancient God Flamvell lit with burning aura (3100/200) and erupted forwards, swinging its burning hammer and smashing Simorgh into the road once more, shattering the avian for the second time as fire slammed into Sarayu, making her cry out in pain.

(_Sarayu 7300LP 2SPC_)

"Damn it…" she hissed.

"You're all the same," her opponent said. "You're all reckless, charging in without a thought. And that's why you all burn. Because you rush to break the rule of the law, uncaring for the judgment that falls on those who dare cross that line." He raised a hand, clenching a fist. "You all deserve the fires of wrath, and that's what I'll give every last one of you. When you challenged me, Sarayu, you made your choice to abandon your safety. And so I'll bring Hell down on you without mercy, or the slightest regret."

"Damn you…" she spat, taking a card and playing it. "I play one card face-down and end my turn!" The reversed card appeared and vanished as Ancient God Flamvell stopped glowing (2800/200).

SS04

Meanwhile, far behind the dueling forces of Fire and Wind, Taiga and Ushio's Duel was still in progress, a few turns into the action. In that time, Taiga had taken no damage and was on five Speed Counters, while Ushio was on fifty-six-hundred Life Points and five Speed Counters also. The horse-rider had several cards in play, the most prominent of which was a towering, radiant Greek-armored goddess, clad in white robes under the silver armor of a hoplite, wielding a spear and shield, her eyes ablaze with divine power as her silver hair whipped in the wind (2600/800), while a darker form stood beside the goddess, a twisted angel with dark wings, clad in armor of midnight black, its hands little more than bony talons, its face demonic and wretched, ram-like horns coiling like some dark crown over its skull (2300/2000). He also controlled a lone face-down card.

Ushio on the other hand controlled a monstrous purple dragon with three heads, each of which bore a silver theatre mask, its massive forearms ending in blocky talons (3600/0), the Montage Dragon having just been summoned.

"Now you're finished, you scum!" Ushio roared. "Montage Dragon, destroy Fallen Angel Ede Arai! _Power Collage_!" As the dragon unleashed rays of rainbow power from all three maws towards the dark angel, Taiga's smirk grew.

"The king of the night won't be touched," he laughed as the Trap lifted. "I activate Dark Mist, letting me send a Dark-Attribute monster whose Level is equal to your Montage Dragon's from my Deck to the Graveyard to negate the attack! I send Fallen Angel Zerato, and the attack ceases!" He placed a card into the Graveyard and shadows swirled into a misty barrier against which Montage Dragon's attack broke.

"Damn you, you scum!" Ushio snarled. "I won't be stopped! I'll sweep you aside like the insect you are. Turn end!"

_**Taiga 8000LP 5SPC/Ushio 5600LP 5SPC**_

"This farce now ends," Taiga said, smirking even more as his horse and Ushio's D-Wheel accelerated (_Taiga 6SPC_) (_Ushio 6SPC_).

"I activate my Athena's effect," he continued, "sending Fallen Angel Ede Arai to the Graveyard to Special Summon a Fairy-Type monster from the Graveyard. Arise, my warlord! Appear before me, _Fallen Angel Zerato_!" Ede Arai shattered into shadows which swirled, reforming into a towering, majestic dark angel with bat-like wings and armor of sanguine red, skin of deep purple and wielding a twisted scimitar covered in barbs and thorns. His dark eyes glared death unto Ushio as he bellowed a debased cry, brandishing his dark blade (2800/2300). "And because a Fairy-Type monster was summoned, Athena's other effect activates, dealing you six-hundred damage – _Nike's Fury_!" Athena raised her spear and burning red force surrounded Ushio, making him cry out in pain.

(_Ushio 5000LP 6SPC_)

"Now I activate Fallen Angel Zerato's effect, discarding a Dark monster to destroy every single monster you control," the self-proclaimed king of the night said, placing Armageddon Knight into the Graveyard. _"Pride of Pandemonium!" _Zerato brandished his blade upwards, sparks of dark lightning crackling across its length, before bolts of black lightning ripped from the cloudless sky and ripped through Montage Dragon, tearing it apart in a maelstrom of hellish power as Ushio looked on in horror. "The king's sentence is given! Athena, attack this fool directly! _Olympian Pride_!" The goddess charged, drawing back her spear before stabbing it through Ushio, who screamed in pain before slumping over as Athena withdrew the weapon.

(_Ushio 2400LP 4SPC_)

Taiga raised a hand. "The sentence is death! Fallen Angel Zerato, end him! _Black Sabbath_!" Zerato slashed with his blade, unleashing a dark bolt which struck into Ushio, causing the officer to scream in agony as the darkness pierced through him, drawing blood as it tore over his skin, ripping through his D-Wheel and shattering the motorcycle apart. Set ablaze by the dark force, it careened over, hurling Ushio to the ground, his arm snapping and eliciting a howl from him as the bone broke. He lay there; snarling in pain, as his D-Wheel broke entirely, crashing down in pieces.

_**Taiga 8000LP 6SPC/Ushio 0LP 2SPC**_

Taiga brought his horse to a halt beside the fallen Security officer as Athena faded, however Fallen Angel Zerato remained as the young man glared down at Ushio darkly, adjusting his fedora with an off-hand gesture so his hidden eye was revealed, entirely pitch-black with darkness.

"The king's sentence is death," he repeated. "Death to who you were, Tetsu Ushio."

"How do you know my name?" Ushio snarled as blood leaked from his wounds.

"You were chained with a Penalty long ago," Taiga continued. "Made to see value in trash. And you still see it that way. I won't make you labor under such a Penalty any longer, but the cost of freedom…" he formed a fist, pointing down at Ushio menacingly, "is to forget. Die, Tetsu Ushio, in the _Broken Chain of Memories_." He turned his steed away, adjusting his fedora to cover his dark eye as Zerato reached down, snatching Ushio up by the throat.

"What is this?"

Taiga snapped his fingers. "Break his chains."

Ushio screamed…

SS04

_**Black Flare 7200LP 2SPC/Sarayu 7300LP 2SPC**_

"I draw," Black Flare said, continuing onwards as his D-Wheel and Sarayu's avian steed accelerated, a third orb appearing beside the latter (_Black Flare 3SPC_) (_Sarayu 3SPC_).

"It's time to bring out my true flame," he murmured, staring at the card he had drawn. "I activate Speed Spell – Burning Gate! This Speed Spell lets me select a Fire-Attribute Synchro Monster I control and reduce its Level by any amount to Special Summon one of its Synchro Material Monsters from my Graveyard whose Level is equal to the amount the Level was reduced by! So I'll reduce Ancient God Flamvell's Level by four to Special Summon Neoflamvell Sabre from the Graveyard!" Four glowing stars burst away from Ancient God Flamvell (Level 3) and clustered, forming into Neoflamvell Sabre (1500/200)."Now, I summon the Tuner Monster, Flamvell Archer!" The burning bowman appeared, stringing an arrow (1000/200).

He raised a hand, and flames lit as he snapped his fingers, spiraling upwards, a sphere of fire shining like a white-hot star. "Tuning! Level Three Flamvell Archer… Tune to Level Three Ancient God Flamvell… and Level Four Neoflamvell Sabre…! _Shinkuro Shōkan_!"

Flamvell Archer soared upwards, entering the sphere of white-hot flame, from which burst three blazing gates encircling Neoflamvell Sabre and Ancient God Flamvell, reducing them to seven burning stars which exploded, lighting the sky with fire…

_"Shinakereba naranai pāji kurayami-en no shutsugen de pitchi ni kurai kage... Furue de ippai kono sekai. Honoo no saigo no bun wa, genzai, kono kowareta, hason shita yūtopia o kiyomeru tame ni kakō! Shinkuro Shōkan!" _Black Flare chanted darkly, words twisted by the flames as he spoke.

From the burning pillars of fire, immense wings of magma and liquid flame erupted, the fires shattering as the beast within launched into the sky, a draconic monstrosity of fire and magma and volcanic rock, burning with the fury of its master as its tail lashed, painting flame across the air as its wings reached their outermost extent, legs and arms bursting out from the fire the being was swathed in as talons clenched, talons of burning obsidian. A great maw tore open on its face, revealing colossal obsidian fangs as the beast gave a terrifying roar, lines of light running over its chest to form a hexagonal shape, within which shone the kanji for fire. Finally eyes were ripped open, eyes which burned bloody, fiery red, eyes hot as the heart of Hell itself, and a second roar tore its way from the fire-drake's maw, shaking the earth as it hung overhead, swathed in fire and ruin… (3200/2400)

"_Pāji shite, __**Flamvell Nidhogg**__!" _the vigilante finished, gazing up at his monster with pride in his eyes, one of which was now visible through his dark visor as an orb of burning, hellish fiery-red…

SS04

The fire rippled over the sky, and Taiga looked up, beholding the majesty of the Synchro Monster. His smirk crept further across his lips, lending a somewhat creepy look to his face, even with his fully-dark eyes hidden by the brim of his fedora.

"Sarayu… what have you gotten into?" he chuckled, leering up at the dragon he could see even from his position several blocks away. "At least there's no more need to test him… that proves things. After all," he glanced back menacingly towards the crumpled body lying motionless beside the shattered D-Wheel behind him, "that has to be the Spirit of Flame…"

He smirked even more. "Time to go and do some rescuing. Ya!" He slapped the flank of his demonic steed, spurring it onwards towards the Duel…

SS04

"So, any plans for the rest of the evening?"

"Not really," Kelsey replied as she walked beside Keisuke. Both had changed out of their Riding Suits, Kelsey now wearing a white sleeveless shirt and jeans under a grey waist-length jacket, with a standard-design Duel Disk of white adorned by black gems on her arm. Keisuke was wearing a black trench-coat, buttoned up to conceal his shirt, though his black jeans were visible, the Duel Disk on his arm black with green, blue and purple gems adorning it. His black hair was styled into fang-like bangs framing his face, while his eyes were a dark brown, almost black. "Just going to get some sleep for tomorrow."

Keisuke opened his mouth to reply, before a terrifying roar sounded nearby, both looking up in shock to behold the burning form of Black Flare's monster one street across, the beast hanging over them with wings outstretched, liquid fire dripping down to the street and searing holes in the tarmac. This was no hologram; this was something real, a tangible, corporeal terror of fire and destruction.

"What is that thing?" Keisuke exclaimed, taking a step back in shock.

"No…" Kelsey whispered, sprinting towards a side-street. "He can't be…"

"Kelsey!" Keisuke shouted, running after her. "It's too dangerous! Stop…!"

SS04

"The Spirit of Flame…" Sarayu whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Black Flare snarled darkly. "What Spirit?"

"You don't even know… the power you're wielding…" Sarayu murmured.

"I know full well what this is… this is my wrath and my vengeance," the vigilante snarled. "Now… Sarayu… I have one thing to say now, and that is… count up your crimes! Flamvell Nidhogg… attack Alector, Sovereign of Birds! _Wrath of Muspellheimr_!" Flamvell Nidhogg opened its maw, and flame built between the great jaws, an orb of searing, writhing flame bright as the sun, before the orb burst forth as a writhing maelstrom which consumed Alector, incinerating the monster in an instant as Sarayu screamed in agony.

(_Sarayu 6500LP 3SPC_)

"I activate the Counter Trap Card, Backdraft, which deals you damage equal to my Fire-Attribute monster's attack points because it dealt you Battle Damage!" Sarayu barely had time to scream before she was wrapped in a seething tempest of flames.

(_Sarayu 3300LP 0SPC_)

"Now I activate Fuel Recovery, bringing Flamvell Archer and Neoflamvell Sabre back to my hand," the vigilante took the two cards from his Graveyard, before placing them back in, "and I discard them to activate Nidhogg's effect. Once per turn, I can discard any number of Fire-Attribute monsters from my hand to deal you six-hundred points of damage for each! _Stellar Flare_!"

Nidhogg roared, beating down its wings and soaring upwards as fire spiraled around it, coalescing at its wingtips as orbs of flame, before it beat down those majestic wings and unleashed a spiraling blast of flame downwards, the fires crashing down on Sarayu, who screamed in pain as she was burned by the intense heat of the flames, despite urging her avian steed onwards to try and escape.

(_Sarayu 2100LP 0SPC_)

She emerged from the flames unharmed, though her clothes and skin were coated in soot from the burning impact.

"I end my turn," Black Flare snapped. 

_**Black Flare 7200LP 3SPC/Sarayu 3300LP 0SPC**_

Rather than drawing, Sarayu whistled softly, causing her avian steed to swoop down and land, claws scratching on the tarmac as she gazed at Black Flare.

"I have no need to continue," she said. "I've seen what I needed to see, Black Flare, Vessel of Flame." Speed World faded away around them as the Duel was cut off, but Flamvell Nidhogg remained, glaring down at the young woman balefully.

"This isn't over yet," Black Flare retorted, glaring with that crimson eye. "Not until my judgment falls." He raised a hand. "Crime ripped my soul asunder… tore something precious from my heart… so I'll burn away at crime until it dies… like that precious person died."

"Who are you under that mask?" Sarayu asked, keeping a way eye on the looming form of Flamvell Nidhogg.

"Just one more oppressed person, fearful of crime, but I'm one who dares to take a stand," Black Flare said. "So I'll burn you, Sarayu. You challenged me and brought this on yourself. Now, die!" A roar ripped from Flamvell Nidhogg's throat as the terrifying drake dived for Sarayu…

Only to crash against two angelic forms, one shadowy and formed of pure darkness, body coated in barbed, spiky armor, with six pitch-dark wings and a scimitar which burned with malice and wrath from the crimson eyes adorning either side of the crossguard, the other pure and radiant, twin and opposite to the first, with six golden wings and wielding a longsword of solid white light. Rays of shadow and light burned from the angels, forcing Flamvell Nidhogg back as they stood defensively between it and Sarayu.

"That was close." Sarayu glanced sideways to see Taiga astride his demonic steed, smirking as he stared at the pitch-dark angel before him.

"Only one… so who summoned that angel?" Black Flare hissed, glaring at the radiant angel.

"Walking the path forged by Heaven…" All three of them looked up as light descended from above, "the man who brings God's judgment to all." The second figure touched down, a second man, clad in pure white armor of some strange metal which radiated light, a Duel Disk built into the armor's left gauntlet. The man currently wore no helmet, revealing features identical to Taiga's, but where the dark-clad young man hid one eye beneath his fedora, this man took no such step revealing his pure golden right eye. "Greetings, Vessel of Flame. I am Kengo Watanabe, the Vessel of Light."

"Wind… Light… Darkness…" Black Flare hissed. "What is this?"

"Come with us, Black Flare, and all will be revealed," Kengo said, inclining his head slightly. Black Flare clenched a fist, not unnoticed by the self-proclaimed Vessel of Light.

"What is this crap? I want answers… and you _will _give them to me," he spat.

"How will you make us?" Taiga smirked. "It's three against one, Black Flare."

"Nidhogg… burn them! _Stellar Flare_!" Fire burned around Nidhogg's wings, before being hurled downwards towards the angels, who merely spread their wings, casting rays of power out which ripped the flames apart.

"Light and darkness are elements of a higher class than fire, water, wind and earth, Black Flare," Kengo said admonishingly. "With my brother and I working in unison, there is nothing you can do to harm either of us or Sarayu. End this dissent, and come with us." There was a harder edge to his voice now.

"No," Black Flare snarled, and Nidhogg growled, a sound which reverberated through them.

"Then we shall take you in chains," Kengo said in a steely manner. "Helel…"

"Black Flare!" All four of them glanced aside to see Kelsey, who was standing further down the street, staring at the vigilante in shocked awe, before turning her gaze upwards towards Flamvell Nidhogg.

"Kelsey!" Keisuke came running up, before his gaze followed hers and he stopped dead, staring in shocked silence at Taiga and Kengo. "Taiga… Kengo… what is this…?"

"Keisuke… brother," Taiga smirked. "If you'd just give us a minute, we'll handle Black Flare, and then we can have a reunion."

"What is this… what…" Keisuke whispered, stunned. Caught up by the two onlookers, all three Vessels were distracted from Black Flare…

"_Wrath of Muspellheimr!" _Fire roared from Nidhogg's maw towards Sarayu, Taiga and Kengo, who reacted instantly.

"Lucifer!" Taiga barked.

"Helel!" Kengo spoke. The two angels exploded forwards, unleashing their power in bursts of force which shattered the flames before they struck with their swords, painting the air in shades of black and gold as they tore across Nidhogg, ripping through the burning dragon.

"Burn them!" Black Flare barked. "Burn them all!" Fire burned bright around Flamvell Nidhogg, chains of molten force which struck for the Vessels and also for Kelsey and Keisuke…

"_**NO!" **_

A roaring white and crimson D-Wheel burst through the air and slammed into the burning, molten chains which lashed at Kelsey and Keisuke, breaking them before soaring downwards, where it plowed into Black Flare, hurling the vigilante flying. Two more D-Wheels skidded to a stop, curving round to form a wall between the Vessels, one a Security-issue D-Wheel, the other jet-black adorned with gold with a theme akin to Drago's Duel Disk, and indeed, their riders were Milo and Drago, who glanced at Kelsey and Keisuke with concern.

"Are you two alright?" Drago asked.

"We're fine," Keisuke said. "But what…? What's going on?"

The rider of the crimson and white D-Wheel dismounted, grabbing up the stricken Black Flare by the collar as he tore off his helmet, brown hair rippling as he did so, his chestnut eyes glaring hate and anger into the vigilante.

Kelsey gasped in shock, falling to her knees as she beheld the one who had saved her and Keisuke.

"You…" he growled into Black Flare's face, "are going to regret doing that. And everything else you've done… I'll make you pay, Black Flare."

"It can't be…" Kelsey whispered… "I thought you…"

"You thought I was this wretch…" Julian answered…

**To Be Continued…**

SS04

(Author's Note: Black Flare's Synchro Chant for Flamvell Nidhogg is written in Japanese, and translated reads: _"This world filled by pitch-dark shadow… tremble at the advent of the flames which shall purge away the darkness. The final sentence of flame now descends to purify this broken, corrupted utopia! Synchro Summon! Purge them, Flamvell Nidhogg!"_)

SS04

_**Card Stats:**_

_**Monsters:**_

Neoflamvell Sabre

FIRE/ Pyro/Effect /Level 4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 200

If there are 4 or less cards in your opponent's Graveyard, this card gains 600 ATK. If there are 8 or more cards in your opponent's Graveyard, this card loses 300 ATK.

SS04

Ancient God Flamvell

FIRE/ Pyro/Synchro/Effect /Level 7/ATK: 2500/DEF: 200

1 FIRE Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Pyro-Type monsters

When this card is Synchro Summoned, select and remove from play cards from your opponent's Graveyard, up to the number of cards in their hand. This card gains 200 ATK for each card removed from play this way.

(The above two cards were released in Duel Terminal – Pulse of the Trishula in the OCG. They will likely be released in future Duel Terminal and Hidden Arsenal sets in the TCG. Please note that these cards were known under different names in World Championship 2010: Reverse of Arcadia, I have used their original names as I prefer them.)

SS04

Flamvell Nidhogg

FIRE/ Pyro/Synchro/Effect /Level 10/ATK: 3200/DEF: 2400

1 'Flamvell' Tuner + 2 or more FIRE non-Tuner monsters

This card cannot be Special Summon except by Synchro Summon. Once per turn, you can discard any number of FIRE monsters from your hand to inflict damage to your opponent equal to the number of monsters discarded by this effect x 600. When this card attacks, you can remove from play a number of "Flamvell" monsters from your Graveyard equal to the number of Spell and Trap Cards your opponent controls to destroy all Spell and Trap Cards they control.

(Flamvell Nidhogg is my own invention and creative credit for it goes to me. It is a redesigned version of the card used in the original version of this fanfic to make it balanced.)

_**Spells:**_

Speed Spell – Tailwind

Normal Spell Card

Image: Alector, Sovereign of Birds being blown to an emerald D-Wheel by a strong tailwind.

Activate only while you have 4 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 Level 5 or higher WIND monster in your hand. During this turn, you can Normal Summon that monster with 1 less Tribute than would normally be required.

SS04

Speed Spell – Friction Reborn

Normal Spell Card

Image: A D-Wheel braking heavily, with Volcanic Scattershot forming from the friction sparks flying from its wheels.

Activate only while you have 2 or more Speed Counters, and your Speed Counters are equal to or lower than your opponent's. Reduce your Speed Counters by 2, and then Special Summon 1 FIRE monster from your Graveyard whose Level is equal to the difference between your and your opponent's Speed Counters.

SS04

Speed Spell – Acceleration Balance

Normal Spell Card

Image: A D-Wheel being forced to slow down heavily by a blockade of other D-Wheelers, allowing another D-Wheel to catch up.

Activate only while one player's Speed Counters are at least 2 higher than their opponent's. Reduce the Speed Counters of that player until their Speed Counters are equal to their opponent's. Then, that player draws 1 card for every 2 Speed Counters reduced by this effect.

SS04

Speed Spell – Burning Gate

Normal Spell Card

Image: A portal of fire being opened by three glowing stars released from Nitro Warrior, through which emerges Neoflamvell Shaman.

Activate only while you have 3 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 FIRE Synchro Monster you control. Reduce its Level by any amount, then Special Summon from your Graveyard 1 of that monster's Synchro Material Monsters whose Level is equal to the amount of Levels the Synchro Monster lost by this card's effect.

(The above four cards are my own invention and creative credit for them goes to me.)

_**Traps:**_

Meteor Wave

Normal Trap Card

Image: Flamvell Urquizas swathed in flame descending into an atmosphere amidst a meteor shower.

Select 1 face-up Synchro Monster you control. It gains 300 ATK until the End Phase. This turn, during battle between that attacking monster and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of that monster, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent.

(Meteor Wave was first used by Yusei in the 5D's episode 'Proof of Evolution, Synchro Monster'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS04

Dark Mist

Continuous Trap Card

Image: A swirling mass of black mist.

Activate only when a monster declares an attack. During this turn, you can send a number of DARK monsters whose Level is the same as the Level of the attacking monster from your Deck to the Graveyard to negate the attack.

(Dark Mist was first used by Midori Hibiki in the GX manga chapter 'Angel of Darkness!' Creative credit for it goes to the writers of the GX manga.)

SS04

Backdraft

Counter Trap Card

Image: A shadowy silhouette of a man wrapped in a fiery explosion.

Activate only when a FIRE monster you control inflicts Battle Damage to your opponent. Inflict damage to your opponent equal to its ATK.

(Backdraft was first used by Judai in the GX manga chapter 'The True Duelist!' Creative credit for it goes to the writers of the GX manga.)

SS04

Next time on Seven Spirits… Julian isn't Black Flare. But as he faces the vigilante, just what is going on? Who hides under that visor? Who are the Vessels? Why is Black Flare so determined to punish Neo Domino's criminals? How does Kelsey know about him? And most of all… just what will happen with this situation?

Next time… it's Chapter Five – The Impure Earth…


	5. Chapter 5: The Impure Earth

_**Chapter 5 – The Impure Earth**_

_"It can't be…" Kelsey whispered… "I thought you…"_

_"You thought I was this wretch…" Julian answered…_

They remained frozen there for an eternal instant, Julian's hand tight around Black Flare's throat, glaring into the vigilante's black visor, in particular at the crimson eye whose gaze seemed to burn through the black plastic at the young man. Taiga, Kengo and Sarayu stood in a close cluster, the three strange youthful duelists gazing at the scene with some interest and confusion, while Kelsey was on her knees, staring at Julian, shocked and aghast.

Drago was first to move, dismounting his D-Wheel. He was clad in his Riding Suit, a form-fitting black affair with golden trim, horn-like spikes cresting each of his shoulders. The claws adorning his knee-high motorcycle boots scraped on the tarmac with each step he took towards Black Flare, glaring out through a translucent golden visor set into a helmet of midnight black, crowned by three dark horns. In this attire, he seemed truly like the king of Hell whose power was buried into his soul.

"Unhand me!" Black Flare roared in a voice burning with malice.

"No," Julian retorted, his own tones sharp with anger, strong as steel and chill as ice. "Your time has come, Black Flare. I've chased you all this time… the greatest criminal in all Neo Domino…"

"How _dare _you!" the man howled. "I am not like them! My actions are righteous! I act to help this city!"

"Do you?" Drago cut in. "Broken limbs. Punctured flesh." He continued his implacable advance, eyes cold. "Burnt skin. Internal bleeding. Those are the injuries that _your_," He formed a fist with claw-like gloved fingers, pointing at Black Flare balefully, eyes ablaze, "opponents have suffered. And you claim righteousness? Those wounds are the work of a man who takes pride and pleasure in causing harm. And we won't let it continue."

Black Flare's visible eye burned more fiercely. "I am _no _criminal!" he howled, raging now, fixing Julian with his baleful glare. "I _am _the purifying flames! And I shall purge this impure earth! No matter what must be done! If you would stand _against _me… then _burn_! Nidhogg!" He raised his Duel Disk arm, but Julian lashed out, cracking him around the face with a punch which sent cracks tearing across the black visor. As Flamvell Nidhogg roared, he released Black Flare, only to deliver a kick to the vigilante's chest which knocked him back.

Drago started to move to help, but Julian gestured away. "He's mine!" He hurled a blow into Black Flare's chest, but the vigilante cracked his opponent aside with a savage punch, before bodily shoulder-slamming Julian and hurling him off his feet with a sweep of his arm. Tails of his coat whipping out, Black Flare rushed forwards, spinning his body and delivering a stunning roundhouse to his foe's chest even as Julian stood, knocking him flat again.

"You're… not human…" Julian choked out.

"You're right," Black Flare snarled. "I am Justice! Count up your crimes!" And he hurled a kick into Julian's face, hurling the young man to the ground, where he spat out blood as Black Flare advanced, raising a hand. "Flamvell Nidhogg, burn him to ash! Show him my ruthless justice!" The burning drake roared, flames searing in its maw…

Julian launched to his feet, snatching at Black Flare's Duel Disk, which was on his arm, he had detached it from his D-Wheel as he dismounted. The Flamvell Nidhogg was still in place, burning with crimson aura, and Julian grabbed to it, trying to rip it loose, perhaps if it wasn't connected to Black Flare, he couldn't control it.

"No!" the vigilante snarled as Julian ripped the card free, snatching for it himself. They both held it for one instant, before burning crimson aura lit around both their forms, Julian's right eye burning from brown to crimson. The three other Vessels all yelled in shock and pain, collapsing to their knees, and Drago stared at them in shock.

"This… pain…" Kengo groaned. "What… is… this…?"

"Fire… burns…" Sarayu choked out, chest heaving as she tried desperately to breathe.

At the heart of the crimson flare, Black Flare and Julian stood immobile, as the card in their fingers suddenly lit with flame, dissolving into embers which coalesced into an orb, hovering between them. Both glared with their crimson eyes, both fixated on the orb of flame, sensing the power radiating from it, but also the power which burned within their hearts, reacting to its presence.

"What… have you… done…?" Julian choked.

"Nothing…!" Black Flare growled.

There was a great roar from the orb, and overhead, Flamvell Nidhogg dissolved into golden fire, vanishing from sight entirely as the flames winked out of existence. The orb of flame burned white hot for an instant, forcing the two to look away, and then it exploded in a burning combustion, hurling Julian away from Black Flare. The two crashed down with yells of pain, and Black Flare's visor cracked further, fragments shattering away to reveal a single bright cobalt eye, the crimson in both their eyes now fading away.

"What happened…?" Black Flare snarled, standing and glaring at Taiga, Kengo and Sarayu, who now recovered, standing up again, though they winced as the aftereffects of the strange pain lanced through them.

"I… don't know…" Kengo murmured.

"Answer me!" He reached for his Duel Disk, only to realize that the Flamvell Nidhogg card was no longer in place on it. "Where is the card?"

Julian stood, rushing at Black Flare with fists clenched. As the vigilante turned to face him, a fist flew into the cracked visor, shattering away more pieces and knocking the man reeling as Julian followed with a kick to Black Flare's knee, making him yell in pain as the blow knocked him to one knee. As Julian hurled an angry kick at the man's face, Black Flare caught his foot and hurled him back with a single, angry gesture, sending the crimson-clad young man to the ground.

"What have you done?" he snarled, standing and snatching Julian up by the throat, crushing fingers into the young man's windpipe. "What have you done to that card?"

"Nothing… I don't… know…" Julian choked, seeing hatred spark in the cobalt eye as it narrowed.

"Liar!"

"Off of him!" A kick hammered into Black Flare's legs, sweeping them from under him, followed by a blow to the face from the rough edges of Drago's gloves, Julian falling to a knee and gasping in breath as Kelsey ran forwards to Julian's side. Keisuke followed warily, still stunned by the appearance of his brothers, and his eyes barely wandered from the two of them as he came to Kelsey and Julian's side.

"I'll kill you… all!" Black Flare spat, blood seeping from under his mask, presumably leaking from his mouth or nose. "What have you done?"

"Nothing!" Drago snarled, and dark wind burst from his form, battering the vigilante with its shadowy force. Black Flare was buffeted back, Drago's eyes burning fiercely beneath his visor as he advanced, shadows weaving over his Riding Suit into the phantom of a suit of regal armor, a crown-like helmet upon his head. He raised a hand and from shadow his Duel Disk formed on his arm, deactivated, but then the blades whirled out, screaming metal on metal, before aligning. "And if you want a fight, I'll give you the Duel of Darkness!"

"I accept…" With a sudden WHACK, a hand chopped down on Black Flare's neck, hammering him to his knees, before fingers squeezed at his throat, sending him pitching unconscious onto the ground. Taiga stood there, regal in his dark fury, standing over the fallen man as darkness burned around him, forming an aura of terror and intimidation.

"Kengo," he said, smirking madly and darkly as he gestured to his brother, "get this trash out of here. I'll handle these fools."

"Alone?"

"Don't question me, brother," Taiga snarled. "Just obey." He raised his arm, and activated his Duel Disk, card panel aligning as shadow swirled across its surface, his aura growing more intense, veiling his body more and more. He stepped forwards, past the fallen Black Flare, and faced Drago. "I've condemned one fool to a Penalty Game tonight. Will you be the second?"

"No," the young man replied with cold regality plain in his tone. "I'll sweep you from before me." Behind Taiga, Kengo gathered up Black Flare's form in his arms, and walking away snapped his fingers, speaking in archaic tones.

"_Shōkan,-kō no genso-ba." _

A portal of light opened, releasing a flash of light which formed into a majestic golden creature, the opposite of Taiga's demonic horse, this was a majestic unicorn stallion, its horn pure white and shining like a star. Slinging Black Flare over the unicorn's back carelessly, Kengo mounted the steed, and with a soft whisper, urged it forwards, the creature galloping away.

"Get after him," Drago told Milo calmly, chillingly. "Don't let him escape."

"Got it," Milo said, nodding. He knew to obey Drago when the young man spoke in those cold tones, and so he raced after Kengo, D-Wheel roaring through the night. Taiga barely batted an eyelid.

"It's time for the trial of the king to start," he smirked, drawing five cards from his Deck after the auto-shuffler whirred into life. "And it ends with my sentence."

"This king," Drago snapped, drawing his own hand, "says otherwise. Let's do this!"

_**Drago 8000LP/Taiga 8000LP**_

"I'll begin!" Taiga declared, snapping a sixth card from his Deck. A crooked smirk slid across his face as he plucked a card from the six and played it.

"I activate the Spell Card, Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen!" he called, sliding the card into place. Shadows swirled up around them, forming walls of obsidian-black stone, blood-red tapestries hanging down them adorned with scenes of atrocity and sin, slaughter, destruction and blasphemy. Something was at odds here with the holy place the card represented; this was a twisted mockery of the heavenly grace that Drago normally associated with this card. "By Valhalla's effect, once per turn…"

"You can Special Summon a Fairy-Type from your hand, provided you control no monsters," Drago finished smoothly. Taiga gave a dark grimace, before plucking another card from his hand and playing it, shadows swirling from the dark walls of the hall.

"I summon Dark Valkyria with the effect of my Hall of the Fallen," he said as the shadows formed a darkly beautiful angel with dark violet skin, clad in dress-like armor of deep purple and her metallic wings black. The dark angel gave a seductive smirk, her silver hair rippling in the breeze as her fingers caressed the scepter she held loosely in one hand (1800/1050). "Then I activate her effect, letting me Normal Summon her."

"What?" Keisuke asked. "Normal Summon? But she's already in play!"

"How narrow-minded you are, brother," Taiga sneered. "Dark Valkyria is a Gemini Monster, so when first played she's counted as a Normal Monster. She then needs a Normal Summon to activate her effect, and I activate that effect now – once only, I can place a Spell Counter on her." A pitch-dark orb marked with three golden triangles appeared, floating around Valkyria, who smirked even more, "and for each Spell Counter she gains three-hundred attack points," a shadowy aura surrounded the dark angel (2100/1050).

"Do you know what Deck he's using?" Kelsey asked Keisuke. "You know him… right?" Keisuke didn't answer for a moment.

"No… I don't know this Deck. He used… Archfiends… I don't know where these cards came from. And… he… and that Kengo… they're my brothers, Kelsey…"

"What…?" Julian groaned, still hurt by his fight with Black Flare.

"They're twins… born two years before me," the dark-clad duelist explained. "But three years back… they went out, and didn't come home… we looked and looked, but never found them…"

"Because we didn't need you to," Taiga sneered, chuckling darkly. "We found our true selves, brother, and cast aside the chains holding us back. And from that, came new power! The power of darkness for me, and the power of light for Kengo! Now we'll purge this unholy world with all our power, alongside our fellows, and all humanity will kneel before us as their saviors!" He plucked a third card from his hand and played it. "I set a card and end my turn."

_**Drago 8000LP/Taiga 8000LP**_

"Another madman with a messiah complex…" Drago muttered, taking his own sixth card. "What is it with you people?"

He scanned his hand somewhat analytically, before ripping one card from the others and playing it, "with no monsters in play while you control one, I can Special Summon Evil Hero Infernal Prodigy from my hand!" With a dark hiss, a black shadow rose before him, shattering to reveal a demonic teenager clad in a demonic bodysuit of bronze and black, black metallic bat-wings attached to his back and bladed fins of black metal cutting sideways from his black cowl, into which were set rubies over his eyes, the Prodigy sneering as he clenched his clawed gauntlets (300/600). "And I Release my Infernal Prodigy, to Advance Summon Caius the Shadow Monarch!"

Infernal Prodigy faded into shadows, which swirled and twisted before forming into a towering demonic figure clad in dark armor, a cloak of shadows billowing behind him in the dark wind as he roared, eyes burning red as dark energy formed into a sphere between his clawed gauntlets (2400/1000).

"A Monarch…" Keisuke murmured. "One of eight powerful monsters whose effects activate when they're Advance Summoned…"

"When Caius is Advance Summoned, I can remove one card on the field from play! Banish his Dark Valkyria! _Dark Decree_!" Drago commanded, pointed at the dark angel with a claw-like gloved finger. Caius hurled the orb of shadow between his hands at Valkyria, who shrieked in agony as she shattered into shadows, which ripped through Taiga and hurled him away. "And if a Dark-Attribute monster was removed by that effect, you take one-thousand points of damage!" Bloody cuts tore open as blade-like shadows ripped across Taiga's face, opening three claw-like marks across his cheek.

(_Taiga 7000LP_)

"He… actually hurt him…" Keisuke said softly, in shock and horror.

"This is the Duel of Darkness, Keisuke. I can't choose," the dark-clad Evil Hero duelist murmured.

"Holding back is the sign of the weak!" Taiga sneered. "Hit me with your full power, _Haou_!" Drago's face hardened, eyes darkening beneath his visor.

"Caius the Shadow Monarch, attack him directly! _Dark Dogma_!" A sword of shadows formed in Caius's grip, a blade of Roman design, and the monarch charged…

"Open, Dark Mist!" Taiga countered, the Trap lifting. "By sending a Dark-Attribute monster whose Level is equal to your attacking monster's from my Deck to the Graveyard, your attack is cancelled! I'll say goodbye to my own Caius the Shadow Monarch, and Caius will stop!" A black shadow formed before him, repulsing Caius's attack before fading as Taiga placed the monster into his Graveyard.

"I end my turn with a face-down… damn you…" Drago muttered, playing the reverse card.

_**Drago 8000LP/Taiga 7000LP**_

"I draw," Taiga smirked, drawing his next card. "I activate the Spell Card, Trade-In. This lets me discard a Level Eight monster to draw twice, so I discard Fallen Angel Superbia." He placed the card into his Graveyard, before drawing twice and smirking darkly.

"Am I missing something? That was a Fairy! He could have summoned it with Valhalla," Kelsey said, confused.

"I could have," Taiga agreed, smirking as he played a Spell Card, "but then I wouldn't have a better move to play. I activate the Spell Card, Temple of the Sun." In a flash of golden radiance, a massive Incan temple-pyramid appeared, crowned by a golden sheen that shone like the sun itself as Valhalla's back wall faded away to allow a view of the structure. "We'll get to that later. For now, I summon Armageddon Knight!" Darkness converged, forming into a grim warrior clad in black samurai-style armor of leather and rusted metal, a blood-red scarf slung around his neck and lower face, flapping in the wind as he drew a long broadsword from its sheath (1400/1200). "I activate Armageddon Knight's effect, letting me send a Dark-Attribute monster from my Deck to the Graveyard since he was summoned, like my Fallen Angel Zerato." The card slipped from his Deck and he placed it into his Graveyard.

"He's building to something…" Kelsey murmured. "He's sending all these powerful monsters to the Graveyard… why?"

"I end my turn with this," the Fallen Angel-user finished, placing a face-down card into his Disk, which appeared before him.

_**Drago 8000LP/Taiga 7000LP**_

"I draw," Drago called, taking his next card in hand. "Who are you, Taiga? What is this about?"

"Just get on with it, Yuki," Taiga smirked. "You don't have time for answers."

"I don't want answers… I want the truth," Drago replied. "I want to know what's going on, what Flamvell Nidhogg is, what you people want." Taiga laughed darkly for several moments, head thrown back, before he tipped it forwards, baring his dark eye for an instant before he readjusted his fedora.

"You want the truth? You can't understand the truth!" he laughed. "So get on with the game!"

"Fine!" Drago snapped, glancing over his hand before playing a card, "I summon Evil Hero Infernal Gainer!" From hellish aura, a dark monster formed, a man clad in demonic armor forged of ridged bone over a bodysuit of red muscle, hands ending in demonic talons, a tail of bone lashing behind him as he sneered, his red eyes glaring at Taiga darkly (1600/0). "By removing my Evil Hero Infernal Gainer from play, I can let another Fiend-Type monster I control attack twice during each Battle Phase! Empower Caius! _Hell Savage_!" Infernal Gainer shattered into a crimson aura, which flowed into Caius, making the Monarch roar, eyes burning with power.

"Caius the Shadow Monarch, attack Armageddon Knight! _Dark Dogma_!" Caius charged, raising his dark blade…

"I use the effect of Dark Mist!" Taiga countered, "So this time, goodbye to Delg the Dark Monarch and your attack!" The card was placed in his Graveyard and the dark barrier formed…

"Chain!" Drago countered as his Trap lifted. "I activate the Trap Card, Overpower! This negates and destroys any card which would stop one of my monsters' attacks!" A crimson burst ripped towards Dark Mist…

"And I'll chain the Counter Trap Card, Dark Bribe, negating your Trap Card and destroying it, but then you get a card for the bribe!" Taiga smirked as his own Trap lifted. A dark aura surrounded Overpower, shattering it as Drago drew a card, and then Caius slammed into the Dark Mist barrier and was hurled back.

"Damn you…" Drago snarled. "But Caius still has another attack!"

"That's if he can use it," Taiga replied, plucking a card from his hand, "but since I used a Counter Trap, he won't. I can Release a Dark-Attribute monster, like Armageddon Knight," the knight shattered into shadows, "to Special Summon _Dark Voltanis_!" Black lightning tore across the sky, before spearing into the earth before Taiga, and when it faded, a towering construct was in Armageddon Knight's place, a dark angelic machine with bladed wings, dark crystals composing its inner structure beneath the armor of darkness it wore, crimson trim adorning the armor. Dark lightning cracked across its body as it raised the arms floating freely from its body, holding up a dark staff set with an amethyst burning with shadow (2800/1400). "And since Dark Voltanis was Special Summoned that way, I can destroy a card on the field, like your Monarch! _Black Rain_!" Voltanis raised its staff and a hail of dark thunderbolts tore from the sky, crashing down on Caius and atomizing him in a blast of power, Drago gritting his teeth in rage.

"Damn… I place one card face-down, and end my turn!" he barked, hurling a card into his Disk, the reverse image appearing before him.

_**Drago 8000LP/Taiga 7000LP**_

"I draw," Taiga smirked darkly, taking up his next card. "I think Dark Mist's done its job, so I activate the Spell Card, Magic Planter. With this, by sending a Continuous Trap to the Graveyard, I draw two more cards." Dark Mist dissolved into grains of light and the young man drew two cards, bringing his hand to two, smirking as he saw one of the cards.

"I activate Fallen Angel's Resurrection!" he sneered, playing the card, which depicted Fallen Angel Ede Arai rising from a pit of darkness, towering over two terrified soldiers as a cultist plunged a dagger into her heart behind him. "This lets me select a Fallen Angel in my Graveyard, such as Superbia, and pay Life Points equal to its Level times three-hundred to Special Summon it to the field! Fallen Angel Superbia is Level Eight, so I pay twenty-four hundred Life Points to call it forth!" A burning crimson aura surrounded him as darkness burned up through the floor of Valhalla, forming a tunnel downwards to what seemed to be Hell itself.

(_Taiga 4600LP_)

"Rise, Fallen Angel Superbia!" he called as shadows tore upwards, forming the image of a massive black chalice, a blood-red mask set into it with burning eyes glaring at Drago, twisted arms ending in barbed claws stretching menacingly as the Fallen Angel's black wings unraveled, spreading through the hall (2900/2400).

"When Fallen Angel Superbia is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, I then get to Special Summon a different Fairy-Type monster from my Graveyard, so now… rise! My conqueror! Fallen Angel Zerato!" Shadow poured from Superbia's chalice body, forming into the satanic visage of Fallen Angel Zerato, who brandished his scimitar with a debased roar, spreading his dark wings (2800/2300). "And now for the effect of Temple of the Sun… every monster Special Summoned from my Graveyard gains three-hundred attack points!" Superbia (3200/2400) and Zerato (3100/2300) burned with infernal power as rays of dark light reflected from the temple struck them.

"If those attacks go through… Drago loses…" Keisuke murmured softly. "And then what… you mentioned a Penalty, Taiga… what is that?"

"You'll see, brother," Taiga sneered, "because now… the king's sentence is given! Dark Voltanis! Attack directly with _Black Justice_!" Voltanis brandished its staff as a hail of thunderbolts ripped across the shrine, before spearing into Drago's chest and hurling him flat, the young man screaming in pain as he slammed to the floor.

(_Drago 5200LP_)

"Fallen Angel Zerato… attack! _Black Sabbath_!" Zerato tore a ruinous arc with a sweep of his cursed blade, sending hellfire and darkness erupted forth to crush Drago under its grip, making him scream in agonizing pain again.

(_Drago 2100LP_)

"And Fallen Angel Superbia, end this Duel! _Wings of Pride_!" Darkness and power formed along the lengths of the Fallen Angel's wings, burning as they beat forwards and unleashed a hail of dark blades towards Drago, which speared into him before exploding in a flare of dark force as Taiga gave a dark laugh. "The sentence is death!"

"Drago!" Kelsey shouted out in horror and shock, the darkness writhing, her friend gone amidst the destruction…

"No…" Keisuke whispered, falling to his knees. "What have you done, Taiga?"

"I appeal that sentence."

The darkness cleared and Drago still stood, the darkness held back by a wall of tiny creatures covered in brown fur, with green-skinned limbs poking out and cute purple eyes, the Kuriboh cooing cutely before vanishing. Taiga gritted his teeth in rage, breathing deeply before finally opening his mouth and letting out a shout of anger.

"Kuriboh!" he spat.

"Yes, Kuriboh," Drago replied. "Don't you know, Taiga? My grandfather had a Winged Kuriboh card. And it saved him so many times… I decided to cash in on the darker side of his luck." Now his golden eyes burned fiercely. "And with that, I won't lose to you. I'll cast aside every darkness you throw at me to the very last second until my strength dies, or I have victory in hand! Your darkness may be strong, but it won't overcome my power!"

"If you resist the king's judgment, I'll crush you like an ant underfoot!" Taiga snarled. "I end my turn!"

"Not before I activate Shock Draw!" Drago barked. "This Trap Card lets me draw a card for every thousand points of damage I took this turn, and because of your monsters' strength, I took five-thousand damage, so draw five cards!" He ripped a wad of five cards from his Deck and added them to his hand, increasing his card count to seven, smirking as he looked over the cards.

_**Drago 2100LP/Taiga 7000LP**_

"I draw," Drago murmured, taking up a card which brought his hand to eight.

"Eight cards in his hand?" Keisuke questioned. "That has to be the most I've ever seen… outside a Muka-Muka or Greed Deck anyway…"

"Surely he has to have something to get him out of this mess in there…" Kelsey said.

"I do," Drago said, taking a card in hand. "I activate E – Emergency Call! This lets me add any Elemental Hero from my Deck to my hand!" He played the card and a glowing emerald 'E' appeared before him, then a card slipped from his Deck, Elemental Hero Burstinatrix, and he added it to his hand as the 'E' vanished, the Evil Hero duelist plucking a second Spell from his hand. "And now… I activate Dark Fusion!" The twisted Fusion Spell appeared before him, before Elemental Heroes Avian and Burstinatrix followed, combusting in a hellish flare from which soared Evil Hero Inferno Wing (2100/1200).

"That's not strong enough to beat any of my monsters," Taiga observed, sneering.

"Wrong," Drago countered, playing a Spell. "I activate the Spell Card, Lightning Vortex, discarding a card to destroy all your face-up monsters!" Taiga gave a cry of anger as his opponent placed Fiendog into the Graveyard, and bolts of lightning ripped from the sky, obliterating Fallen Angels Superbia and Zerato, along with Dark Voltanis.

"You'll…"

"Let me guess, pay for that?" Drago replied, taking another card from his hand. "I've heard it all before. I summon Weathering Soldier." He played the card and a towering golem formed from sediment attached to a frame of fossilized bones appeared, raising its massive fists which ended in bony, fossilized claws (2000/1200).

"Weathering Soldier, direct attack!" Weathering Soldier ripped forwards with incredible dexterity, ripping its claws across Taiga, who snarled, darkness burning from his form to hurl the golem back to his opponent.

(_Taiga 5000LP_)

"Evil Hero Inferno Wing, attack directly with _Infernal Blast_!" Inferno Wing loosed flame from her hands, bolts of hellfire which were ripped aside and apart by Taiga's blazing dark aura, though embers struck him.

(_Taiga 2900LP_)

The Vessel of Darkness stood silently for a moment, eyes unseen, hidden by his bowed head and the brim of his fedora, before finally he looked up, adjusting his fedora to reveal his dark eye as both eyes blazed with hate and rage.

"I place one card face-down, and end my turn," Drago finished, playing the card, which appeared reversed before him. "And because it's the End Phase, Weathering Soldier loses six-hundred attack points." Weathering Soldier groaned and slumped over slightly, glowing with a baleful red aura (1400/1200).

_**Drago 2100LP/Taiga 2900LP**_

"I draw!" Taiga barked angrily, eyes ablaze with anger, his shadowy aura burning around him and lashing as tendrils of darkness at the air. Drago's own eyes hardened as the dark wind burst from his form again in response, the two dark duelists clashing their powers against one another.

"I activate Monster Reborn, reviving my Fallen Angel Zerato!" A glowing, sacred ankh formed before him as Kelsey and Keisuke gaped in shock.

"Monster Reborn?" Keisuke echoed. "But that's…"

"Incredibly rare…" Kelsey finished.

"Never underestimate a king's power! Zerato, rise!" The ankh froze into shadow, which shattered as the Fallen Angel burst into being, raging with darkness (2800/2300 – 3100/2300). "Now I discard Fallen Angel Ede Arai to activate Zerato's effect, destroying all of your monsters! _Pride of Pandemonium_!" He placed the monster into his Graveyard and Zerato raised his sword, dark lightning striking and blasting Inferno Wing and Weathering Soldier apart. "The king's sentence is given! It's death! _Black Sabbath_!"

Zerato unleashed his power towards Drago in a burning blaze, which struck into the young man and hurled him flying. He landed with a yell of pain and agony, the power exploding around him…

Taiga gave a dark laugh, a dark, insane cackle, before regarding his fallen opponent. "Now… your Penalty is…"

"Shut… the… hell… up…" Drago stood, eyes ablaze with anger. "I'm not done." His Life Points flashed before Taiga's eyes, and the king of the night gave a howl of outrage.

(_Drago 1100LP_)

"Mystic Wok… I sacrificed Inferno Wing to gain its attack points as Life Points before your Zerato's effect landed," the young man explained, showing Taiga the card before placing it into the Graveyard.

"Just die, damn you!" Taiga roared angrily, hurling a card into his Disk. "Zerato would be destroyed in the End Phase because I used his effect, but before that I activate Advance Draw, sacrificing a Level Eight monster, like Zerato, to draw twice!" Zerato dissolved into golden motes as his master ripped two more cards from his Deck. "I place a monster in defense mode and end my turn!" He hurled the card onto his Disk and a reversed monster appeared before him.

_**Drago 1100LP/Taiga 2900LP**_

"I draw," Drago said. "It's been two turns since I removed Evil Hero Infernal Gainer from play, so he now returns to the field." Shadows swirled and Infernal Gainer took form once again (1600/0). "I summon the Tuner Monster, Sinister Sprocket!" A ball of shadows formed before him, creating a coil of black chain topped by a gear adorned with dark eye symbols (400/0). "And I Tune my Level One Sinister Sprocket… to my Level Four Infernal Gainer… to Synchro Summon…!"

Sinister Sprocket unwound, wrapping its chains around Infernal Gainer, which faded into a framework, shattering into four glowing stars as the chains lashed together, forming a ring in which the stars aligned. Finally, darkness exploded forth, consuming the Synchro Summon…

"_Engines roaring through the night… a rider bringing dark justice tears his burning path across the highways! Tremble at his fearsome advent! Synchro Summon! Roar, Stygian Sergeants!" _Drago chanted darkly, raising a hand as darkness burned around him.

With a dark roar, the Synchro Summon shattered, unleashing a demonic biker from the sundered darkness, a twin-headed Fiend with immense bat-like wings, muscular and clad in ill-fitting biker leathers which bared much of its rippling, muscular flesh. Stygian Sergeants gave a roar, flames spitting from both mouths as he revved the engine of his fiendish motorcycle (2200/1800).

"Stygian Sergeants, attack his reversed monster! _Styx Crusher_!" Drago shouted, bringing his arm down to point at Taiga fiercely as the biker tore forwards, his bike crushing the large red Level Star-marked ladybug which appeared from the card, the Level Eater shattering (600/0).

"One monster down… you still haven't won," Taiga smirked, glancing at his hand. _"And if I can draw a monster next turn, I'll have what I need to end this."_

"Actually… you're finished!" Drago countered. "When Stygian Sergeants destroys a monster in battle and sends it to the Graveyard, I can have it gain eight-hundred attack points and attack again! _Styx Crusher_!" Stygian Sergeants revved his bike's engine (3000/1800) and twisted from his charge, shooting towards Taiga and slamming into him from behind, hurling him flying as the last card in his hand fluttered to the ground, Fallen Angel Desire…

_**Drago 1100LP/Taiga 0LP**_

All the cards left on the field faded away, Temple of the Sun and Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen vanishing to return them to the Neo Domino street as Drago stalked forwards, Disk deactivated, blades disconnecting and whirling away, before both it and his Deck vanished into shadows, flowing into the night.

"Who are you?" Drago asked coldly, standing over Taiga. "What did you want with Black Flare?"

Taiga gave a laugh, straining to stand. "You're a fool if you think I'd tell you… after all, it's your sins we're here to punish."

"My sins?"

"Your sins. Every last one of you." He stood, glaring Drago full in the face with both eyes, the one identical to Keisuke's, and that terrible pitch-dark orb glaring balefully. "All of you commit sins… and people like Kengo and I were born to punish those sins and eradicate them for good."

"You're the sinner!" Kelsey snarled, standing. "After what you did to Drago… you should be counting your own sins!"

Taiga laughed again, clenching a fist as he took his Fallen Angel Desire card in hand. "Every last one of you sins every moment of your life… no matter how small or large the sin, it's still there every second. It's what you've brought on our race… so seven of us were chosen. Seven who could purge that sin and make humanity free again! If you stand against me, you stand against _us_, and we will bring only death. Black Flare is one of us… and once we have him, our circle is complete. The sin will die and our race will be free! But as for you… your souls are too heavy with Hell! So I'll send you where you all belong!"

"Taiga!" Keisuke shouted. "Stop this!"

"No, brother. This is destiny! Fallen Angel Desire!" He raised the card aloft, and shadows ripped forth, forming an angelic silhouette upon the night as his dark eye burned with power. He gestured violently to his foes. "Break these chains of sin!"

The dark angel tore forwards, blades ripping from its arms poised to cut down Drago, Keisuke, Kelsey and Julian…

A harsh CLANG of metal on metal resounded as a dark katana met the blades before they could hit Drago, The Six Samurai – Irou standing defensively. Before Desire could react, a golden naginata slashed and ripped it in twain, shattering it into shadows as The Six Samurai – Zanji moved in acrobatically, brandishing his weapon beside his comrade.

Taiga's eyes hardened. "You."

Kisara stepped into view, walking towards him down the street, her colorless hair spreading into strands as a soft breeze blew against her from the side. Her coat was tossed by the same breeze, flapping against her legs as she advanced, Duel Disk on her arm active with the cards for her Samurai in place.

"Taiga…" she murmured. "It's been a while."

"Just… oh, two years since that goose-chase through Okinawa?" he said with a tone of chill bitterness. "I wouldn't have thought you'd be here. You know we're here."

"I needed food. This city was closest… I thought you wouldn't notice if I was here one night. But then, I guess my luck's too bad for that."

"If you hadn't saved these little people, you wouldn't be noticed," Taiga retorted. "Why?"

"I thought you wanted _me_!" she snarled. "Enough have died for me! I won't let more weigh on my soul!" Taiga laughed.

"They're just mortals. Not like you, or me. I don't see why," he turned away; "you give a damn either way."

"Because I loved every last life that was stolen by you Vessels!" Kisara cried, and there was deep anguish in her voice. "Why couldn't you spare them, Taiga?"

"Funny… how you ask me that every time, and any time you get in a face-off with any of us, it's the same… why?" Taiga smirked. "Y'know the answer… they didn't matter. And these fools weren't dying over you. You're surplus to requirements, Kisara. We found another way of doing things."

"I don't care… I won't let you kill any more innocents."

"No one is innocent!" Taiga snarled, changing expression and emotion remarkably fast. "Especially not you. After all you've caused by refusing to accept your fate…"

"That is not my fate!" she shouted.

"It was your fate from the moment you were conceived! No matter how much you fight the chains, they'll bind you tighter until you give in, Kisara. So end this struggle."

"I won't," she said in a steely tone. "Not with the blood of those I loved on all your hands. Not with their deaths weighing on _my soul_. No." Taiga laughed coldly, starting to walk away. "Stop and face me, Taiga!"

"Why? You're not as important to us as you were… we found another way. I'd have thought you'd be glad after all the years you spent running, to finally be free."

"I'm not glad…" she said softly, sadly. "I can never be glad after all that you did to me!" He laughed again, glancing back and meeting her passionate, angry glare.

"I thought you were scared of us."

"I am. But the thought of those lives you took… for them I'll be brave."

"You're just that same scared little girl at heart… I remember when I met you first. How old were we then? Ten? Eleven? I liked you, y'know. And then I found the darkness. The day you moved away… that was the day I found what I am. So I guess I should thank you," he tipped his fedora back over his dark eye, "but this is goodbye, Kisara." He turned back to walk away.

"Get back here, Taiga!" She ran forwards, fists clenched, and passing the bewildered spectators and her Samurai, she hurled a punch at Taiga's head, but he turned, catching her fist with his palm, before darkness burned around his fist. But her eyes flashed, and the darkness was ripped away, Taiga snarling as he backhanded her across the cheek, knocking her back. His dark aura burned once more, but was broken as her eyes began to glow more fiercely crimson.

"What is this?" Keisuke whispered.

"Something's stopping him from using the darkness…I think it's her…" Drago murmured.

Taiga grabbed Kisara by the throat and fingers clawed into her windpipe, the girl choking as Taiga glared up at her.

"I used to care about you _so much_," he murmured, and his finger gently stroked over her soft cheek, the Vessel closing his eyes and giving a soft sigh. "But every dream ends… we all have to wake up." His voice took a bitter turn. "This world is nothing but sin, and I have to break the cycle. So I can't care." He tossed her to the ground, where she gasped in breaths. "This one time, Kisara. This is for what we had back then. Next time…" he turned, "don't expect the same." With that, he began to walk away, until he believed he was far enough from Kisara, snapping his fingers and calling the powerful words which ripped open the shadows into a gate.

_"Shōkan, yami no genso-ba!"_

The dark demonic horse ripped forth from shadow, and Taiga mounted it in a leap, riding off down the street in the direction Sarayu and Kengo had earlier taken. Kisara stared after him with anger burning in her eyes, standing, before turning to Kelsey, Keisuke, Drago and Julian.

"Who are you?" Keisuke asked. "If Taiga knew you, why don't I?"

"I can't tell you." She was blunt and steely, eyes full of hard determination. Drago raised his arm and his Duel Disk formed from shadows, his Deck fitting into place.

"You will tell us," he retorted. "Our friend," he gestured to Julian, "fought Black Flare and something happened to that 'Flamvell Nidhogg' card Black Flare had. What's going on? Who were those people? What do they want?"

"I can't tell you," she repeated, striding forwards as she pulled her Irou and Zanji cards from her own Disk, placing them back into her Deck as the monsters vanished before deactivating the Disk. Drago's Disk activated, blades whirling around it to form the card panel as his face hardened.

"If you won't tell me, I'll beat the truth from you!" He ripped a card from his Deck and prepared to play it.

"I can't tell you anything… because that would just put you in danger. It's better you remain ignorant and safe." She began to walk away. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you anything for your own good."

"It's better for us to know about this, so we know what's going on and can put a stop to it." Kelsey had spoken now, eyes hard as she regarded Kisara, who stopped.

"You don't know the Vessels. You don't know who they are and what they are capable of. I do, and I know it's better this way. So leave them alone. Enjoy your lives, away from that."

"I won't stand by in ignorance!" Keisuke shouted. "My brothers are there! What happened to them? Why don't I know you if Taiga did? Who are you?" Kisara sighed.

"Knowledge is a chain… once learned, it binds you, and you'll never release it. Especially knowledge like this… so I won't bind you. No matter what right you have to know, I won't make you suffer when they come for you, like I've suffered. Just… forget this. It was a nightmare. So wake up and leave it behind." She started to walk away again, striding down the street.

"And what if they come after us anyway?" Drago called. "What then?" She glanced back, fixing him with a crimson glare.

"Then you fight, as you did here. And hope you win. Goodbye." And with that, she strode off away, out of sight, leaving Drago, Keisuke and Kelsey staring after her, wondering just what was going on and why she wouldn't tell them the truth…

SS05

_**Card Stats:**_

_**Monsters:**_

Weathering Soldier

EARTH/ Rock/Effect /Level 4/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1200

During each of your End Phases, this card loses 600 ATK.

(Weathering Soldier was first used by Jim in the GX episode 'Johan, Jim and O'Brien VS The Three Masked Knights'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of GX.)

SS05

_**Spells:**_

Fallen Angel's Resurrection

Normal Spell Card

Image: Fallen Angel Ede Arai rising from a pool of darkness before two horrified soldiers, as a cultist slums dead behind him with a dagger through her heart.

Select 1 'Fallen Angel' monster in your Graveyard. Pay Life Points equal to the selected monster's Level x 300 and Special Summon that monster in face-up attack position.

(Fallen Angel's Resurrection is my own invention and creative credit for it goes to me.)

SS05

_**Traps:**_

Overpower

Normal Trap Card

Image: A warrior wielding a battleaxe standing before a demon formed from dark purple flames as a shockwave bursts out before him.

Activate only when a monster you control is targeted by a Spell, Trap, or Effect Monster's effect that negates a monster's attack. Negate the activation of that card and destroy it.

(Overpower was first used by Jack in the 5D's episode 'The WRGP Commences! Team 5D's vs. Team Unicorn'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS05

Shock Draw

Normal Trap Card

Image: A duelist in a white coat holding up two cards as a bolt of lightning crashes down on him.

Draw 1 card for each multiple of 1000 Battle Damage you took this turn.

(Shock Draw was first used by Yusei in the 5D's manga Ride 'The Master of the Underworld!' Creative credit for it goes to the writers of the 5D's manga.)

SS05

Next time, Kengo's just trying to get Black Flare out of the way and back to base, but with Milo ruthlessly in pursuit, he has no choice but to fight. Who'll win, the Vessel of Light with the disposition of a priest, or the zealous Security officer out to bring down Neo Domino's crime for good?

Chapter 6 will give that answer… it's 'Guardian of Order'!


	6. Chapter 6: Guardian of Order

_**Chapter 6 – Guardian of Order**_

The night hung thick over Neo Domino, most unaware of the events transpiring within the city's streets.

Officer Tetsu Ushio groaned, weakly standing, and howling as his arm flared with pain, the remnants of his D-Wheel strewn across the street around. Memories swirled, Athena and Fallen Angel Zerato attacking, a knife stabbing into money held in the palm of a hand, a young teenager with spiky golden-blonde hair, the same teenager somehow more mature, a light tearing across his vision, showering himself with money, and then those memories broke and were gone, the chain connecting his life broken link-from-link and reformed in a manner more appealing to Taiga. This was the Memory Break, all Ushio's supernatural experiences wiped blank from his mind for good.

"What… happened…?" he groaned, glancing around at the D-Wheel wreckage.

"Ushio!" Kazama came sprinting up. "Are you alright? Did Black Flare do this to you?" Memories flashed through Ushio's mind.

"Black… Flare?"

Kazama waved a hand in his colleague's eyes. "Black Flare? The vigilante who attacked me with Flamvell Firedog?" Ushio's eyes remained resolutely blank, causing the Security to heave a sigh of frustration. "Did you hit your head when you crashed?"

"Crashed?" Ushio echoed.

"You must've hit your head," Kazama muttered. "C'mon, we need to get you to the hospital…"

SS06

Kisara's D-Wheel howled through the streets, shooting out of the city. As she rode furiously, the Six Samurai duelist focused on Taiga, thinking back to the events taking place just ten short minutes ago…

_Taiga grabbed Kisara by the throat and fingers clawed into her windpipe, the girl choking as Taiga glared up at her._

_"I used to care about you __so much__," he murmured, and his finger gently stroked over her soft cheek, the Vessel closing his eyes and giving a soft sigh. "But every dream ends… we all have to wake up." His voice took a bitter turn. "This world is nothing but sin, and I have to break the cycle. So I can't care." He tossed her to the ground, where she gasped in breaths. "This one time, Kisara. This is for what we had back then. Next time…" he turned, "don't expect the same." _

"Taiga…" For a moment her voice took a sad edge, as she recalled what he had been like back then…

"_Terrorking Archfiend, attack directly! Checkmate!" The blood-red, bone-armored demon before him ripped forwards, bypassing Kisara's The Six Samurai – Zanji and slashing its mighty sword across her, sending her to her knees, his Checkmate combo had defeated her again._

"_Good win…" she said, standing and forcing a smile to her face, not wanting to hurt him with how much it hurt to lose to him. His happy smile warmed her heart as Terrorking Archfiend and the hellish surroundings of the Pandemonium Field Spell faded away to nothing, their Duel Disks deactivating. _

"_Thanks," the younger Taiga replied, a black baseball cap perched on his head at an angle not dissimilar to the fedora he would come to later wear, a black shirt and grey shorts forming the rest of his clothing. "You were pretty good too… I guess I just got lucky!" He shone her a radiant smile…_

"Why did you change?" Kisara asked softly, speaking to the air, words intended for him. "How could you have taken their side, Taiga?" Her eyes narrowed. "Why did you betray what we had…?" Her coat flapping in the wind, she revved her D-Wheel's engine and accelerated rapidly, gaining ground on her former friend, now mortal enemy…

SS06

On the outskirts of Neo Domino, a different chase was taking place, one through suburban streets lined with pleasant homes and mansions, homes to the rich and famous, who could afford to live here. Rumor had it that Director Rex Goodwin himself had a retreat in this part of town, and certainly the political elite made this area their home, senators, diplomats, businessmen…

Many of those people were asleep; otherwise they would likely have been rather shocked by the sight of a Security D-Wheeler chasing a white unicorn upon which was the vigilante Black Flare and a white-armored man resembling a knight.

"Stop, Kengo!" Milo shouted. "Stop!"

"I cannot," Kengo replied softly, yet his words still reached Milo. "However… I doubt greatly you will leave me in peace, so…" He took a card from a compartment set into his armor, and activated his Duel Disk, its Field card slot opening before Kengo placed the card into it. The slot closed, and instantly Speed World coated the world around. "However, I shall not sully the true disciples of God in such a trivial battle." He took the Deck from the Duel Disk, placing it into a pouch at his belt and taking up a different Deck, placing it into his Disk.

"If that's the way we'll play, so be it!" Milo called, pressing a control. "I activate Speed World!" The Spell flashed onto his screen, revolving and fading before the console transformed to Duel Mode, the Duel Disk attached to the hybrid activating.

"_Duel Mode, engaged. Field Spell Card, Speed World, active. Autopilot, online. Riding Duel, set, on," _his D-Wheel chimed as each of them drew five cards.

"Riding Duel, Acceleration!" Milo called, surprised as Kengo did not take up the chant.

_**Milo 8000LP 0SPC/Kengo 8000LP 0SPC**_

"I'll begin," Kengo said, drawing a sixth card.

"I set a monster," he cast a card into his Disk, causing it to appear face-down beside his unicorn steed, "and set a card to end my turn." A reversed Spell/Trap appeared beside the unicorn, before fading from sight.

_**Milo 8000LP 0SPC/Kengo 8000LP 0LP**_

"I draw!" Milo snapped out, tearing the card up from his Deck as they both accelerated, a glowing orb appearing beside Kengo (_Milo 1SPC_) (_Kengo 1SPC_).

"I summon Gladiator Beast Retiari!" The lizard-man Gladiator Beast appeared, brandishing his trident (1200/800). "Next, because I have a Gladiator Beast in play, I can Special Summon Test Tiger from my hand!" He played the card and in a flash of light, a garishly-clad tiger leapt onto the field, running beside him as its red eyes glowed (600/300). "I activate Test Tiger's effect, Releasing it to return a Gladiator Beast to the Deck and Special Summon a Gladiator Beast from the Deck! _Test Tag_!" The tiger faded into light, encircling Retiari who in turn shot back to Milo's Deck, before a flash of flames blazed up before the Security officer, forming the tiger-man visage of Gladiator Beast Laquari, claws bared as a vicious snarl tore from his throat (1800/400).

"A monster summoned by Test Tiger's effect is treated as summoned by a Gladiator Beast, so Laquari gains his effect, making his original attack twenty-one hundred!" An aura of flames began to burn around Laquari, who snarled again (2100/400). "Laquari, attack his reversed monster! _Blaze Talons_!" The tiger-man burst forwards, slashing even as a toga-clad, four-winged angel appeared from the card (1400/800) only to be torn in half, shattering into pixels.

"When Shining Angel is destroyed in battle and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Light-Attribute monster with fifteen-hundred or fewer attack points from my Deck," Kengo said calmly. "I summon Gawain, Knight of Camelot." In a prominence of light, a noble, sleek white-armored knight formed, with a leopard-themed helm, shoulder-plates adorned with wing-like coating, the white trimmed in black. He drew a long, slender rapier which reflected the moonlight as he raised it aloft, before lowering it to his side (1500/700).

"I end the Battle Phase and activate Laquari's effect – _Tag Out_!" Milo called, the Gladiator Beast transforming into an orb of flame and shooting to his Deck, before in a surge of aqua-blue light, creating a short, stocky lizard-man clad in deep blue armor with twin trumpet-like cannons mounted upon his shoulders, crouching down defensively (400/300). "Meet Gladiator Beast Secutor. Next, I place two cards face-down and end my turn." The reversed cards appeared in twin blazes of light.

_**Milo 8000LP 1SPC/Kengo 8000LP 1SPC**_

"I draw," Kengo said, taking up his card as their respective steeds sped up, a second orb of light appearing beside him (_Milo 2SPC_) (_Kengo 2SPC_).

"I now summon Tristan, Knight of Camelot." A second flare of light burst up beside Gawain, forming into the visage of a second knight, this one's armor even more streamlined than his compatriot's, white trimmed in crisp royal blue, Tristan drawing twin longswords as light flashed from armor and blades (1600/500).

"Tristan shall now attack your Secutor. _Victory's Saber_." The white-armored knight charged in a flash of motion, slashing down with a sword towards Secutor…

"Open, Invincible Hero!" Milo barked as one of his reversed cards lifted. "Secutor cannot be destroyed in battle this turn!" An aura of energy burned up around Secutor as Tristan's sword descended, the blade rebounding away from the gladiator.

"I activate the effect of my Gawain – if a 'Camelot' monster attacks an opponent's monster and the attack target is not destroyed, then I can destroy that monster via Gawain's effect, provided he does not attack," Kengo said calmly. _"Just Power." _The knight raised his rapier and slashed, sending a blade of light towards Secutor…

"No! Not again!" Milo snapped as his second Trap lifted. "Open! Gladiator Beast War Chariot negates your monster's effect and destroys the monster so long as I have a Gladiator Beast in play!" A large, regal chariot burst from the air, blocking the blade of energy before barreling into Gawain, crushing him into shards under its wheels before it too vanished.

"I activate the Trap Card, Court of the Round," his opponent answered as the Trap lifted. "These knights shall rally against your sorceries, and so, if a 'Camelot' monster is destroyed by a card effect, Court of the Round activates, Special Summoning a Level Four or below 'Camelot' monster from the Deck. Come forth, Bors, Knight of Camelot." With a fierce shout, a towering man appeared, white armor trimmed in sanguine red, wielding a colossal battle-axe trimmed in that same red (1700/400). "With Bors in play, all 'Camelot' monsters can pierce your monsters' defenses with their attacks. Bors, attack with _Righteous Might_." The colossal knight burst forwards and swept his battleaxe down into Secutor, the blow bouncing from the Invincible Hero aura, but Milo shouted in pain as he felt the impact of the strike, his D-Wheel slowing as the force broke away a Speed Counter.

(_Milo 6600LP 1SPC_)

"If I control another 'Camelot' monster, Tristan may attack twice per turn," Kengo continued. "Tristan, attack with _Victory's Saber_." The knight charged once more, slashing his second sword in Secutor, and Milo snarled as he felt the blow impact, slowing his D-Wheel again.

(_Milo 5300LP 0SPC_)

"If that's all… I activate Secutor's effect! In a round where he attacked or was attacked, I can Special Summon not one, but _two _Gladiator Beasts from the Deck! I summon Gladiator Beasts Murmillo and Laquari! _Tag Request_!" In a flash of aquatic light, a large stingray-like Gladiator Beast appeared, clad in archaic dark blue armor, a large barbed spike crowning the monster's tail as its hollow black eyes gazed at Kengo (800/400), followed by a flash of flame as Gladiator Beast Laquari (1800/400 – 2100/400) appeared. "Because Gladiator Beast Murmillo was summoned by a Gladiator Beast's effect, a face-up monster is destroyed! Destroy Bors!" Murmillo lashed his tail, sending a bolt of toxic force shooting into Bors, who was impaled by the spike before shattering.

"I place two cards face-down and end my turn," Kengo concluded, placing the reverse cards which appeared beside him.

_**Milo 5300LP 0SPC/Kengo 8000LP 2SPC**_

"I draw!" Milo called, taking up a third card in his hand as they accelerated, a third orb appearing beside Kengo (_Milo 1SPC_) (_Kengo 3SPC_).

"I summon Test Lion!" With a savage roar, a large lion burst onto the field, clad in garish crimson and gold armor (1000/1000). "Next, I activate Test Lion's effect, removing it from play to Special Summon a 'Test' monster from my Graveyard! _Leo Reborn_!" Test Lion burst into flames as Milo pocketed its card, followed by the reappearance of Test Tiger, roaring as it sprinted beside its master (600/300).

"Next, I activate Test Tiger's effect, releasing it and returning Murmillo to the Deck! _Test Tag_!" Test Tiger transformed into flames, coating Murmillo, which shot into Milo's Deck before a burst of light exploded out, forming into the hawk-man form of Gladiator Beast Bestiari (1500/800)."Because Bestiari was summoned by that effect, its own is activated, destroying a Spell or Trap!" An arrow show from the hawk-man's arm-bow, impaling one of Kengo's face-downs (Solemn Warning) and shattering it into pixels, Milo smiling. "There's your anti-Heraklinos card gone… now! Bestiari! Secutor! _Contact_!" The two Gladiator Beasts soared upwards, merging into one in a burst of dark force…

"_Behold the emperor of the sky, as his might devastates all you place before him! Contact Fusion! Appear, Gladiator Beast Gyzarus!" _With a savage cry, Gladiator Beast Gyzarus descended, glowing with power (2400/1500). "I activate my Gyzarus's effect, destroying Tristan and your other face-down! You can't hide behind your cards!" Black spears were cast from the Fusion's arms, shooting for the cards…

"You believed I had only one weapon against your Gladiator Beast Heraklinos?" Kengo asked as the reverse card lifted. "Two are better than one, after all. I activate the Counter Trap Card, Divine Wrath, discarding one card to negate your monster's effect and destroy it." He placed Courage of the Round into the Graveyard and a bolt of lightning flashed, shattering the black spears and Gyzarus in one fell swoop. Milo snarled in rage.

"Gladiator Beast Laquari, attack Tristan, Knight of Camelot! _Blaze Talons_!" The Gladiator Beast howled, charging forwards and cleaving through the knight in a flurry of claws, before slashing into Kengo, who barely reacted.

(_Kengo 7500LP 3SPC_)

"I activate Laquari's effect, switching him out for Gladiator Beast Hoplomus! _Tag Out_!" Milo snapped out as Laquari combusted into flames and shot into his Deck, before shards of rock tore up from the ground, coalescing into a massive rhinoceros-man Gladiator Beast clad in heavy bronze armor, kneeling defensively as hexagonal shields began to orbit him (700/2100). "If Hoplomus was summoned by a Gladiator Beast, his defense score becomes twenty-four hundred!" The Gladiator Beast roared, glowing with energy (700/2400). "I place one card face-down, and end my turn!" The reversed card then appeared.

"In your End Phase, I activate the effect of Courage of the Round, letting me remove it from play to Special Summon a Level Four or below 'Camelot' monster which was destroyed this turn from the Graveyard," Kengo answered, pocketing the card as Tristan (1600/500) reappeared in a flash of light, drawing his swords.

_**Milo 5300LP 1SPC/Kengo 7500LP 3SPC**_

"I draw," Kengo continued, taking a second card into his hand as a Speed Counter orb appeared beside him, his unicorn beginning to accelerate as they left the residential zone and entered the pleasant expanse of the countryside surrounding Neo Domino (_Milo 2SPC_) (_Kengo 4SPC_).

"_This must end quickly," _Kengo thought, gazing at the cards in his hand. "I activate the Speed Spell – Swords of Peace." In a flash of light, three shimmering swords materialized, clustering around Tristan. "This Speed Spell can activate when my Speed Counters are four or above, and it lets me Release a 'Camelot' monster to Special Summon from my Extra Deck a 'Camelot' Fusion Monster whose Level is precisely two higher than the Released monster's." Tristan was engulfed by light as the swords flowed into his body, shining and reforming…

"A Transformation Summon…" Milo gasped.

"Precisely," Kengo answered as the light shattered. "I summon to the field _Caradoc, Noble of Camelot_." From the light he came, a white-armored knight wielding a longbow, his chest bearing the insignia of a noble hawk, his helm fashioned after the head of such a predator bird (2400/1000). "Next, I shall summon the Tuner Monster, Guinevere, Queen of Camelot." In a flare of radiance, a noble woman appeared, clad in a flowing white dress, long blonde hair a river of gold in the wind as her deep blue eyes gazed piercingly at Milo (400/0). "With Guinevere in play, all 'Camelot' monsters gain five-hundred attack points." Caradoc (2900/1000) and Guinevere (900/0) began to glow faintly with a weak, warm radiance.

"Caradoc, Noble of Camelot, battle Gladiator Beast Hoplomus. _Aurora Arrow_." An arrow of shimmering Aurora Borealis formed at Caradoc's bow, the knight quickly drawing back the bowstring before loosing the arrow in a flash of shimmering, mystical light…

"I activate Defensive Tactics, stopping my monsters being destroyed in battle and negating Battle Damage this turn!" Milo called, a sheen of energy coating Hoplomus and causing the arrow to bounce away. "Then Defensive Tactics goes to the bottom of my Deck instead of the Graveyard!" He slipped the card into the base of his Deck.

"I shall end the Battle Phase," Kengo determined.

"Then I use Hoplomus's effect – _Tag Out_!" The Gladiator Beast transformed to light, shooting to its master's Deck before the earth tore up again, disgorging a towering dinosaur-like Gladiator Beast, clad in dark earthy-brown armor adorned with bone spikes and fangs, a tail lashing behind the new beast as it hefted a large halberd in hand with a reptilian growl (2200/1600). "Meet Gladiator Beast Spartacus, and when he's Special Summoned by another Gladiator Beast, I can add a Gladiator Beast Equip Spell from my Deck to my hand, except I have none."

"And my turn concludes," his opponent finished.

_**Milo 5300LP 2SPC/Kengo 7500LP 4SPC**_

"I draw," Milo called, taking up his next card (_Milo 3SPC_) (_Kengo 5SPC_).

"I summon Gladiator Beast Murmillo!" In a burst of bubbles and aquatic light, the stingray Gladiator Beast erupted up onto the field (800/400). "Now I return Murmillo and Spartacus to the Deck… _Contact_!" The two Gladiator Beasts, instead of soaring as for Heraklinos and Gyzarus, sank into the earth, fracturing the ground beneath the D-Wheel and the unicorn as Milo raised a hand regardless…

"_From the soul of the earth, forge a king mighty enough to defy even the greatest conqueror of all! Contact Fusion! Arise, Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz!" _he chanted.

The earth burst up in an explosion of rock and dust, disgorging a towering new Gladiator Beast, similar to Spartacus, but taller and more muscular, clad in a black plate-skirt, bared chest covered with numerous battle-scars stark against the dark grey scales, wing-like structures of dark metal and grayed bone rising behind Gaiodiaz as he roared, raising a large ornate battle-axe in hand (2600/1500). "Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz, attack Guinevere! _Tyrant Gaia_!" But Gaiodiaz seemed unable to raise his axe, as Guinevere smiled sweetly.

"While I control another 'Camelot' monster, Guinevere cannot be declared as an attack target," Kengo explained.

"Damn!" Milo snarled. "I place a face-down!" The reverse card appeared. "Turn end!"

_**Milo 5300LP 3SPC/Kengo 7500LP 5SPC**_

"I draw," Kengo said calmly as a sixth shimmering orb materialized beside his steed (_Milo 4SPC_) (_Kengo 6SPC_).

"Firstly, I place one card face-down," the reversed card appeared, "and I now activate the effect of Caradoc, Noble of Camelot. Once per turn if I control another 'Camelot' monster, I can halve the attack points of one monster you control. _Divine Aurora_." Caradoc raised a hand and a dark aurora formed around Gaiodiaz, who groaned (1300/1500). "Caradoc, attack Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz with _Aurora Arrow_." The knight summoned the arrow of aurora and fired…

"Activate, Speed Spell – Crash Buffer!" Milo shouted as the shield of force erupted around Gaiodiaz, causing the arrow to rebound away.

(_Milo 3700LP 3SPC_)

"Now I use the effect of my Gaiodiaz – _Tag Out_!" Gaiodiaz shattered, descending into the earth, and two other Gladiator Beasts formed in his place, one the hawk-man form of Bestiari (1500/800), the other a new Beast, somewhat reminiscent of a Troop Dragon, a reptilian soldier clad in elegant silver armor, wielding the spear of a Greek hoplite (1000/500). "When Gladiator Beast Patroclus is Special Summoned, I can raise or lower the Level of another Gladiator Beast by his Level, two, so I'll increase Bestiari's Level," Bestiari glowed even as he fired an arrow, shattering Kengo's reversed card (Level 6).

"The card you just destroyed was Dummy Marker, letting me draw a card," Kengo said, drawing."I shall now activate the Speed Spell – Angel Baton," he drew twice, before placing Dagonet, Knight of Camelot into the Graveyard. "I place a card face-down and end my turn." The reversed card appeared.

_**Milo 3700LP 3SPC/Kengo 7500LP 6SPC**_

Milo drew, smiling at his good fortune as he saw the card (_Milo 4SPC_) (_Kengo 7SPC_).

"I now Tune Gladiator Beast Patroclus… to Gladiator Beast Bestiari, to Synchro Summon…!" Patroclus raised a hand, fading into two glowing stars which soared up, expanding into rings which circled Bestiari and shattered it into six more stars, a pillar of light aligning with the stars and lighting the sky…

"_Upon the broken battlefields… there reigns a truth which all warriors know deep within. From the soldier to the hero, all are equal in the war god's gaze! Synchro Summon! Burn their souls, Gladiator Beast Mars!" _

A fiery comet descended, shattering the Synchro pillar, and impacted, exploding upwards in a flare of power as the beast emerged from within, part-man, part-bear, a bestial leonine head mounted upon the neck thrown back as Mars roared from a bloody maw filled with dagger-fangs, fire burning in his eyes and upon his savage claws as the war god stared fire and Death upon his foes… (2600/1400)

"I activate the Speed Spell – Speed Energy, giving Mars an additional two-hundred attack points for each Speed Counter I have," Milo continued, playing the card and causing a bright sapphire aura to light around Mars briefly (3400/1400), before being banished by the war god's own flaming aura. "Mars can attack each of your monsters once a round! _Corona Sanction_!" Mars howled and flame burned up around him.

"Attack Caradoc! _Nova Heart_!" Mars howled again, tearing forwards and delivering a terrifying blow of his talons which ripped through Caradoc, unleashing gouts of blood which boiled in the flames around the war god even as those vicious claws tore through the knight's pixel remains to catch Kengo over the shoulder.

(_Kengo 7000LP 7SPC_)

"Attack Guinevere! _Nova Heart_!" Mars roared and slashed, tearing the screaming Guinevere apart, laughing even as his bloodied claws ripped into her and his flames burned over her form, shattering the noble queen.

(_Kengo 4500LP 5SPC_)

"At the end of the Battle Phase where Mars attacked, he returns to the Extra Deck and I Special Summon his non-Tuner Synchro Material from the Graveyard," Milo said as Mars combusted into embers, which reformed into Gladiator Beast Bestiari (1500/800). "I use Bestiari to destroy your face-down card!" An arrow of force burst from Bestiari's arm-bow…

"I activate the Trap Card, Shock Draw," Kengo said, calmly drawing three times before the arrow shattered the Trap.

_**Milo 3700LP 4SPC/Kengo 4500LP 5SPC**_

"I draw," Kengo continued smoothly, drawing a fourth card (_Milo 5SPC_) (_Kengo 6SPC_).

"You have fought well, but now this must end, officer. I activate the Speed Spell – Fallen Synchron, allowing me to remove from play Synchro Material Monsters in my Graveyard to Synchro Summon a Synchro Monster. I remove from play Guinevere, Dagonet and Bors to Synchro Summon…" A single Synchro Gate and seven shimmering stars appeared, accompanied by the spirits of the three monsters, uniting and vanishing into a flash of blinding light…

"_Though our hearts may be fallible, there are those whose chivalry and virtue will never die. Mightiest knight of the Round Table, draw your sword and face your foe. Synchro Summon! Appear, Lancelot, Champion of Camelot!" _Kengo chanted.

The light faded slowly, revealing a towering, white-armored knight, armor trimmed in flame-orange and ice-blue, wielding a sword whose blade flashed and shimmered with auras of those very energies, a white and crimson cape whipping and flickering in the wind as he raised the blade (2400/1700).

"Next, I shall activate Speed Spell – Overboost, increasing my Speed Counters by four," Kengo neatly continued as four orbs of light materialized beside him (_Kengo 10SPC_), "and in turn, with ten Speed Counters, I can activate the Speed Spell – Dimension Shatter. With this Speed Spell, by paying two-thousand Life Points," he glowed with crimson energy,

(_Kengo 2500LP 10SPC_)

"I can Special Summon up to three of my removed-from-play monsters to the field." In three flashes of radiance, Guinevere (400/0 – 900/0), Dagonet (100/1800 – 600/2200) and Bors (1700/400 – 2200/400) reformed, glowing with energy as light shone around Lancelot (2900/1700). "Now, since I control additional 'Camelot' monsters, Lancelot's effects are triggered. With one or more 'Camelot' monsters, each 'Camelot' monster gains two-hundred attack points for each 'Camelot' monster I control," Lancelot (3700/1700), Guinevere (1700/0), Dagonet (1400/2200) and Bors (3000/400) all glowed with fiery and icy aura, "with two or more, during my Draw Phase I can skip my regular draw to add a 'Camelot' monster to my hand, and with three or more, once a turn, I can destroy any card you control. _Omega Ruin_." Lancelot raised his sword, coruscating energies collecting at its tip, before he slashed it in a destructive arc and unleashed a blade of elemental force, cleaving Bestiari in twain and shattering the Gladiator Beast.

"No…" Milo whispered.

"You are a strong duelist, officer," Kengo said calmly. "Tell me, what is your name?"

"Milo Kawasaki."

"You show great promise," the Vessel of Light nodded. "Indeed, I feel this city is better with men like you fighting its crime. But please, do not interfere in our business again. I would truly regret having to end this in a more final manner. For now, know that you have my respect for your skill and courage, but also heed my warning. Lancelot, finish this Duel, please. _Transcendent Sword_." Lancelot strode forwards, raising the blade, and delivered a final, swift blow which tore over Milo's chest in a flash of elemental light.

_**Milo 0LP 2SPC/Kengo 2500LP 10SPC**_

Milo's D-Wheel skidded to a halt, steam pouring from its engine as Kengo stopped up ahead, looking back. The Vessel of Light gazed at his defeated opponent for a moment, then past him, their remaining cards fading away.

Taiga came riding past Milo, astride his demonic horse; he stopped beside his brother and smirked at Milo.

"I see you took out this refuse, Kengo," the Vessel of Darkness commented. "Should we end him for good?"

"No," Kengo replied sternly. "Mercy is a virtue I show to worthy foes. This man is worthy of our mercy and our respect, Taiga. Leave him." Taiga gave a laugh.

"Worthy? He lost, Kengo. How does that make him _worthy_?" He turned his steed away, now looking at Kengo. "In this world, the strongest survive. Those who win the battle to survive will only destroy their opponents. That's the truth of life."

"Regardless, I shall spare this life."

"So be it. It barely matters anyway," Taiga laughed, looking to Milo. "Stay out of our way. Next time, it might be me you face, and mercy is unfitting of a king." With that, he slapped his steed's flank, sending it galloping away into the night. Kengo remained for a short while, gazing at Milo.

"Why are you doing this?" Milo asked finally. "What do you want?"

"To make the world clean," Kengo answered. "So that mankind may be free." And with that, he turned his unicorn, whispering softly to the creature, and it galloped away, carrying him and Black Flare away from the Security officer and leaving Milo with only more questions…

SS06

Advertisements flashed their course up over the street, slogans and announcements blaring out.

"_Tomorrow at five PM, at Neo Domino Colosseum, come and witness the power of an American multi-regional champion against one of Neo Domino's best!" _The eccentric Neo Domino MC made the announcement across the street, raising a hand excitedly. _"Neo Domino welcomes state champion of Florida, Texas and Louisiana, Raphael Daniels!" _

Two D-Wheels tracked their path down the street, Julian's and Drago's, Kelsey riding on Julian's behind him as the two D-Wheels raced along the tarmac, their three riders taking in the advertisements still blaring out even at this hour.

"_Coming soon from I2, the Exceed Evolution set! Unlock new powers, and find the strength to Exceed!"_

"_In one week, aspiring D-Wheelers, get ready to prove your worth! The Neo Domino D-Wheel Exam takes place seven days from now at Neo Domino Duel Academia!"_

"What happened?" Julian murmured, now conscious. "What was that?" He recalled the sensation of gripping that card; facing Black Flare and seeing Flamvell Nidhogg shatter and vanish. "Why did it vanish like that? What was that I felt…?" He recalled feeling flame race through his body, hot as Hell itself, yet it didn't burn him… it seemed comforting… powerful… as though he could burn down the world itself in that instant…

"Are you okay?" Kelsey asked over the oncoming wind. "You're kind of distracted…"

"I'm just thinking about those Vessels," he murmured back. "Who are they? What do they want? What were that Flamvell Nidhogg, and those angels… Lucifer and Helel… I know the names, but there are no cards by those names. What's going on here… that's the question? And I will get the answers."

"If Milo can defeat Kengo, then we'll get those answers sooner rather later," Drago said, drawing his D-Wheel in closer to Julian's. "But after facing Taiga… I'm not sure if Milo can win against Kengo… if Kengo's as strong as his brother that is…"

SS06

The two brothers light and dark travelled through the night, and overhead the emerald eagle soared, Sarayu keeping watch on them.

"Why do you care?" Taiga asked abruptly.

"Care about what, Taiga?" his twin replied.

"Your opponents. They're just trash in the face of our fate, brother. They'll perish either way, by our own hand, or that of our fate."

"Forgive me if I would allow my opponents a greater measure of happiness before our fate enacts itself," Kengo said quite calmly and sternly. "I let them live their last days in peace, before that time appears and brings purity."

"You let them endure in their sinful wastes of lives?" Taiga laughed. "What kind of _mercy _is that? True mercy would be to end their bleak fates and let them be free."

"The time to end life is not mine to select. I leave their fate in the hands of God; I do not snatch fate from Him and decide it myself. If their fate is death, they shall die regardless of my actions. Why, then, do you take offense at that, Taiga?"

"It's a waste of time," the Vessel of Darkness replied. "We have this power… we should make them shudder and shake in fear of it. We should demonstrate the gift we were given, not keep it concealed. Why use those 'Camelot' shams, when the true light is there for you, Kengo? Why not show them true virtue?"

"Because restraint is in itself the very foundation of those virtues. I shall restrain my power until the very instant it is my fate to stop restraining myself and strike my enemy with my full might," Kengo concluded softly. "For the Lord has willed it so, and I obey."

"The Lord who hides all truth of himself," Taiga scoffed. "An intangible, invisible being that exists because of beliefs so fragile the merest misfortune shall shatter them. These people… you tear down their lives. Just do it. Tear down their lives, shatter their hearts, and then ask them what they believe of God. They'll only shake their fists and curse him. So much for an all-knowing, all-loving God."

"Evil exists because of free will. That will has generated only strife… so we will free mankind of that strife…"

SS06

_**Card Stats:**_

_**Monsters:**_

Gawain, Knight of Camelot  
LIGHT/ Warrior/Effect /Level 4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 700  
Once per turn, if another 'Camelot' monster you control attacks an opponent's monster, and the attack target is not destroyed by battle, you can destroy the attack target monster. If you activate this effect, this card cannot attack during that turn.

SS06

Tristan, Knight of Camelot  
LIGHT/ Warrior/Effect /Level 4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 500  
If you control another 'Camelot' monster, this card can attack twice per Battle Phase.

SS06

Bors, Knight of Camelot  
LIGHT/ Warrior/Effect /Level 4/ATK: 1700/DEF: 400  
While you control this face-up card, if a 'Camelot' monster you control attacks a defense-position monster whose DEF is lower than the attacking monster's ATK, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent's Life Points.

SS06

Test Lion  
FIRE/ Beast/Effect /Level 4/ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000  
This card cannot be Special Summoned. You can remove this face-up card you control from play to select and Special Summon 1 'Test' monster from your Graveyard.

SS06

Caradoc, Noble of Camelot  
LIGHT/ Warrior/Fusion/Effect /Level 6/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1000  
This card can only be Special Summoned with 'Swords of Peace'. Once per turn, while you control another 'Camelot' monster, you can halve the ATK of 1 face-up monster your opponent controls until the End Phase.

SS06

Guinevere, Queen of Camelot  
LIGHT/ Warrior/Tuner /Level 1/ATK: 400/DEF: 0  
All 'Camelot' monsters you control gain 500 ATK. While you control another 'Camelot' monster, this card cannot be selected as an attack target.

SS06

Gladiator Beast Patroclus  
LIGHT/ Reptile/Tuner /Level 2/ATK: 1000/DEF: 500  
This card cannot be Special Summoned, except with the effect of a Level 6 or higher 'Gladiator Beast' monster. When this card is Special Summoned, you can select 1 other 'Gladiator Beast' monster you control and increase or decrease its Level by this card's original Level. This card cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster, except for the Synchro Summon of a 'Gladiator Beast' Synchro Monster. At the end of the Battle Phase, if this card attacked or was attacked, you can return it to the Deck to Special Summon 1 'Gladiator Beast' monster from your Deck.

SS06

Gladiator Beast Mars  
FIRE/ Beast-Warrior/Synchro/Effect /Level 8/ATK: 2600/DEF: 1400  
'Gladiator Beast Patroclus' + 1 'Gladiator Beast' non-Tuner monster  
This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Synchro Summon. This card must attack all monsters your opponent controls once each during your turn's Battle Phase. At the end of the Battle Phase, return this card to the Extra Deck and Special Summon its non-Tuner Synchro Material Monster used for its Synchro Summon from your Graveyard in face-up attack position, ignoring the Summoning Conditions.

SS06

Dagonet, Knight of Camelot  
LIGHT/ Warrior/Effect /Level 3/ATK: 100/DEF: 1800  
When this card is Normal Summoned, you can change it into face-up defense position. When another 'Camelot' monster you control is selected as an attack target, you can change the attack target to this card. This card gains 100 DEF for each 'Camelot' monster you control.

SS06

Lancelot, Champion of Camelot  
LIGHT/ Warrior/Synchro/Effect /Level 8/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1700  
1 'Camelot' Tuner + 1 or more LIGHT non-Tuner monsters  
This card cannot be Special Summoned except by Synchro Summon. This card gains the following effects depending on the number of other 'Camelot' monsters you control: ●1+: All 'Camelot' monsters you control gain 200 ATK x the number of 'Camelot' monsters you control. ●2+: Instead of conducting your normal draw during the Draw Phase, you can add 1 'Camelot' monster from your Deck to your hand. ●3+: Once per turn, you can destroy 1 card your opponent controls.

(The above ten cards are my own inventions and creative credit for them goes to me.)

SS06

_**Spells:**_

Speed Spell – Swords of Peace  
Quick-Play Spell Card  
Image: Three knights raising their swords to the sky against the rising sun, within the aura of Speed World.  
Activate only while you have 4 or more Speed Counters. Tribute 1 'Camelot' monster you control and Special Summon from your Extra Deck 1 'Camelot' Fusion Monster whose Level is equal to the Tributed monster's + 2. The Special Summoned monster is treated as having been summoned via 'Swords of Peace'.

SS06

Speed Spell – Dimension Shatter  
Normal Spell Card  
Image: The sky tearing open into a Dimension Fissure, from which emerge a fighting Dark Lucius LV6 and D.D. Warrior Lady, as they fall into Speed World.  
Activate only while you have 8 or more Speed Counters. Pay 2000 Life Points. Select up to 3 of your removed-from-play monsters and Special Summon them in face-up attack position.

(The above two cards are my own inventions and creative credit for them goes to me.)

SS06

Speed Spell – Speed Energy  
Normal Spell Card  
Image: A cybernetic warrior charging upwards within a tornado of energy.  
Activate only while you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 face-up monster you control. It gains 200 ATK for each Speed Counter you have until the End Phase.

(Speed Spell – Speed Energy was first used by Yusei in the 5D's special episode 'Evolving Duel! Stardust VS Red Demons'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS06

Speed Spell – Fallen Synchron  
Normal Spell Card  
Image: Fiend Roar Deity Valkiris rising out of a vortex of energy, as eight Level Stars spiral and spin overhead.  
Activate only while you have 5 or more Speed Counters. Synchro Summon 1 Synchro Monster. (Remove from play the appropriate monsters from your Graveyard.) Remove it from play during the End Phase.

(Speed Spell – Fallen Synchron was first used by Yusei in the 5D's episode 'Deathmatch Riding Duel'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS06

Speed Spell – Overboost  
Normal Spell Card  
Image: Four Level Stars shooting upwards through Speed World  
Gain 4 Speed Counters. During the End Phase, the number of your Speed Counters becomes 1.

(Speed Spell – Overboost was first used by Jack in the 5D's episode 'Destiny of Signers! The Future Guided by the Crimson Dragon'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS06

_**Traps:**_

Invincible Hero  
Normal Trap Card  
Image: A costumed superhero standing in the streets of Skyscraper among a bunch of badly-beaten criminals.  
Select 1 monster you control. It cannot be destroyed by battle, until the End Phase.

(Invincible Hero was first used by Judai in the GX episode 'H-E-R-O Flash'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of GX.)

SS06

Court of the Round  
Normal Trap Card  
Image: A group of armored knights seated around a white Round Table, with a king and queen sat side-by-side commanding their attention.  
Activate only when a 'Camelot' monster you control is destroyed by an opponent's card effect. Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Camelot' monster from your Deck in face-up attack position.

SS06

Courage of the Round  
Normal Trap Card  
Image: Percival bravely charging into battle against Meteor Black Dragon.  
Activate only when a 'Camelot' monster battles a monster with higher ATK. You take no Battle Damage from that battle. During the End Phase, you can remove this card in your Graveyard from play to Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Camelot' monster which was destroyed this turn from your Graveyard.

(The above two cards are my own inventions and creative credit for them goes to me.)

SS06

Dummy Marker  
Normal Trap Card  
Image: Unknown  
When this Set card is destroyed, draw 1 card. If this Set card was destroyed by the effect of an opponent's Spell Card, draw 1 more card.

(Dummy Marker was first used by Judai in the GX episode 'The Awakening of the Rainbow Dragon'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of GX.)

SS06

Next time on Seven Spirits, its time for the action to ease off, sort of. The Vessels got away with Black Flare, but what happened with Flamvell Nidhogg? Where have the Vessels gone? And when will our heroes receive the answers to their questions?

But next time, those questions won't quite get answers yet. As Kelsey prepares for her D-Wheel Exam, Kisara goes in search of her own answers, trying to track Taiga and company down. But when this lands her in a brutal Duel with high stakes, can she survive the onslaught of her opponent to prevail? Just what will happen?

It's Chapter Seven – Hand of the Six Samurai!


	7. Chapter 7: Hand of the Six Samurai

(Author's Note: An important card used in this chapter is used under its OCG name, as this is a case where I have come to prefer an OCG name over a TCG name. This card's entire Archetype will be OCG-named when they appear. That is all.)

_**Chapter 7 – Hand of the Six Samurai**_

The sun shone down on that park, where so long ago it now seemed, Julian had faced Drago in a mocking Duel over falsified seriousness.

He now sat upon the same bench, stared out over the same grass, beheld the same sky, but it was different… all different. For but an instant he had known the power to tear this entire world down… and he couldn't look upon it the same again.

Julian sighed. How had one night changed him so? He had hunted Black Flare, chased him down like dog after fox, but he had expected wrongly. He had believed Black Flare's power the product of a Psychic Duelist's instability… not what it truly was. Not Flamvell Nidhogg.

What was that terrifying beast? Why did it create this power, and where did it come from?

"What was it?" he whispered.

"Damn it!" Startled, he turned, seeing Kelsey beside him on a compact laptop, eyes narrowed in anger as she watched her Life Points decrease to zero. The Duel Puzzle vanished, replaced by the word FAILURE in damning red letters.

"Would you like a hand now?" he asked with the hint of a smile gracing his lips, her frustration providing a welcome distraction from Black Flare and his mysterious terror.

"Fine," she muttered, slumping back in the seat as the Duel Puzzle reloaded. Julian scanned it, Kelsey had fourteen-hundred Life Points, controlled a Blackwing – Gale the Whirlwind (1300/400) and a face-down card, and had Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame and Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor in her hand, and no cards in the Graveyard.

The computerized opponent on the other hand controlled the towering form of a Grinder Golem (3000/300), as well as The Dark Door, allowing only one monster to attack per turn, and Royal Oppression, letting both players pay eight-hundred Life Points to negate a Special Summon from the opponent. It had no cards in its hand or Graveyard, and twenty-six-hundred Life Points.

"It's impossible," Kelsey muttered. Julian smiled.

"It wouldn't be impossible," he replied, checking the face-down, Dark World Dealings. "What do you draw if you play this?"

"Black Pendant," she said, prompting a smile from Julian.

"Then I've got it," he said. "First, I use Gale's effect, halving Grinder Golem's point scores." He calmly typed in a command and a red aura surrounded Grinder Golem on-screen (1500/150). "I activate Dark World Dealings, making us both draw a card," he typed the command and the Spell flipped over, glowing as it activated and a card appeared in both of their hands, "then discard one." He discarded Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor, while the computer was forced to discard Tremendous Fire.

"I summon Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame," the keys clicked as he tapped them, causing the card to appear on the field (1800/1200), "next I'll Tune Gale to Shura… and Synchro Summon Blackwing Armor Master." The cards quickly performed a Tuning process, resulting in a towering black-armored man, with thin bladed wings (2500/1500).

Then the computer's Royal Oppression glowed red as its Life Points fell to eighteen-hundred, causing Armor Master to glow red and shatter, but Julian smirked. "Just as planned…" He typed in a single command, and two cards lifted from the Graveyard, Vayu the Emblem of Honor and Armor Master. "I remove Vayu from play, along with Armor Master, to use Vayu's effect, Special Summoning a Blackwing Synchro Monster whose Level is equal to their combined Levels." To Kelsey's surprise, shown by her gasp, the Royal Oppression didn't activate. "Meet Blackwing – Silverwind the Ascendant!"

In a flash of energy on screen, the strongest of all Blackwing Synchros materialized, covered in black fur and feathers, wielding a long rapier (2800/2000).

"Why didn't it use Royal Oppression? It had enough Life Points," she pointed out, shocked.

"It's because of the flaw which lets you win," Julian explained. "Blackwing – Vayu the Emblem of Honor has a specific effect ruling which means that removing it from play is part of the effect, not its cost. So if you were to try and block the effect from resolving, it would only activate again until it's let through. That's why it didn't use Royal Oppression. To win, you just have to know about that ruling. Now this is easy," he tapped in a line of type, "I Equip Silverwind with Black Pendant, giving it five-hundred more attack points," Silverwind glowed with energy as a necklace set with a black pendant gem appeared around its neck (3300/2000), "and Silverwind attacks Grinder Golem for game." Silverwind delivered a blow of its rapier which ripped Grinder Golem in half before the computer's Life Points hit zero and WIN flashed onto the screen as the Duel Puzzle cleared.

"So one ruling is all I needed to win…" Kelsey muttered.

"It's a slightly obscure ruling over here; it's more well-known in America. That's why American Blackwing duelists tend to use Royal Oppression, they know it doesn't stop Vayu from working and if they fight a more inexperienced duelist, they might even shave some Life Points from the opponent in the process. It's a bit of a low trick, but perfectly legal."

"One ruling… I need to study up," she laughed. "Getting caught out for not knowing a single ruling…" Julian however remained grim now, his distraction ended. "You're thinking about the Vessels, aren't you…?"

"I can't stop thinking about them," he murmured, leaning forwards and pressing his fingertips together. "Taiga… Kengo… Sarayu… the three of them… and Black Flare… what's their _connection_? Do they all have cards of the same power as Flamvell Nidhogg? What did Taiga mean when he said we were all corrupted with sin? What did he mean by 'Penalty'? There are too many mysteries… too many unanswered questions… and since Kengo got away, we won't get those answers."

"Drago beat Taiga… they're not invincible…"

"If Drago hadn't drawn Sinister Sprocket and had Infernal Gainer return when it did, the chances of him escaping that situation were low. All the chances were that Taiga would draw another Fairy… then he'd have used Valhalla to summon it and sacrificed it for that Fallen Angel Desire… Drago would've lost in an instant. That Deck was full of rare, powerful cards… Monster Reborn in particular…"

"So you think there's a bigger picture here," she mused.

"Definitely… but without anything to go on, I can't figure it out…" he muttered. "These people are dangerous… Taiga had to have been the one who attacked Officer Ushio, there are no others… and if he could do that… who knows what else these Vessels are capable of…?"

"But you don't know how to stop them."

"That's the problem… regular criminals are all the same… a few stand out, but most don't pose any challenge… these Vessels are something new, something more dangerous… I don't know what I can do…"

SS07

THWACK!

A body came crashing to the ground with a groan of pain, the people around quickly moving aside as Kisara stepped forwards, hauling the young man to his feet and grabbing him by the throat.

"Where is she, Ryuga?"

"I-I swear! I don't know! She moved!" Kisara let him go and he toppled to the ground, rapidly crawling back away.

"Any idea _where _she moved?"

"Try the Daimon Area! The underground arenas! Please!" She turned and stalked away, glancing back once, before leaving him in the dust…

SS07

The men stood impassive at the black-painted door, clad in neat suits. They weren't supposed to be here, not here among the filth and refuse of Neo Domino, those who clung onto the city, a breath away from the hell of Satellite.

The two observed the young woman approaching with steely impassiveness, taking in her slender build and worn, loose clothes with the eyes of trained, dangerous men. They could more than likely kill with their bare hands with the slightest of exertions if necessary, but that told Kisara that the one she sought was here as she confidently approached.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" one of the guards asked in clipped, firm tones.

"I am Kisara, and I'm here looking for an 'Aino Horuichi'," she said just as clipped and just as firmly.

"No-one may see Lady Horuichi at this time," one of the guards replied. "She has requested it."

"I suggest you ask her to do otherwise."

"Your insolence will not endear you to her. Walk away now, before you open your mouth too wide and say the unforgiveable," one of the men advised coldly. She raised her arm, activating her Duel Disk.

"Fair enough. I'll make it a wager, then, we'll Duel. If I win, you talk to her. If I lose, I'll walk away and not bother you again."

"You think we'd abide to such conditions? Lady Horuichi is ruthless in enforcing discipline, and if she found out we'd played by your terms, she'd string us up by our guts and leave us to bleed out."

"So I would, if you did not have my approval," a smooth voice purred, as the door opened.

Her name was Aino Horuichi. She held iron-fisted will over the majority of Neo Domino's criminal underworld and was a figure in organized crime secondly only to the enigmatic Divine, leader of the Psychic Duelist sanctuary known only as the Arcadia Movement. She was notorious for once having conducted the very punishment the guards had named on four men for the slightest disobedience which had resulted in the loss of a relatively small amount of profit.

She was dressed elegantly, like the 'lady' she professed to be, in a neat black dress styled with intertwining vine patterns across its form. Her long brown hair was tied into a pair of schoolgirl-like ponytails, her cold; cruel eyes the shade of steel. At her arm was an elegant, refined form of Duel Disk, folded into a compact body. At the sight of her, her guards fell into bows.

"Kisara… it's been far too long since I saw you, my dear," Aino purred. "Tell me, what has brought you back to fair Neo Domino?"

"Taiga." The bluntness of her answer had the men straightened, fists clenching.

"Speak with res-"

"Silence." The men were struck dumb by Aino's single word, before she turned back to Kisara. "Ah. Your dear little love interest, again… such sweet sorrow that you bicker so…"

"We were friends… nothing more." Her fists were suddenly clenched, she was angry, how dare Aino do this _again _after all she knew Taiga had done, all he had done to _hurt _her…

"Of course… forgive me for teasing, but it is merely my nature," Aino said.

"The Vessels are working again… last night was them," Kisara snapped off coldly, the men starting to rise only to be stopped by Aino's gesture. "They found Black Flare… he's one of them." Aino whistled.

"I always knew there wasn't something right about that vigilante… how many of them does that make now?"

"That doesn't matter. You know where they are… I know you do, Aino. Tell me. This is going to end now."

"So after all those years running away, you finally dredged up the courage to fight back? Or is the scared little kitten just putting on the lion's mane, Kisara?" With a snarl, Kisara stepped forwards, but in one motion the guards grabbed her and had her pinned to the wall in an unbreakable lock. "Let her go." The guards grudgingly stepped away, letting Kisara go.

"You know full well what they've done," the young woman hissed. "Enough games, Aino! I have to finish this!"

"You think you can do it alone, do you? You're wrong." Aino was suddenly cold again, with a melancholy sorrow in her tone. "I lose count of them, Kisara… the men I sent. The men I sent after the Vessels… they all died. They died horribly… you haven't seen the _bodies_."

"That's why this has to end."

"You wanted to Duel," now Aino changed her tone, "perhaps there is a way to resolve this. Prove yourself. Duel and win under the worst circumstances I can bring up for you, and I'll give you what you want. All I ask is one Duel."

"If that's all you ask, _fine_," Kisara snapped. "I fail to see anything you can conjure which would be worse than them…"

SS07

"Why the hell do you humor me?" Kisara asked. She was sat in a dark room, awaiting the Duel with Aino sat calmly beside her.

"How do you mean?"

"You're a Yakuza boss, Aino," the young woman snapped. "To you, I'm an insect. Why bother with me at all?" Aino smiled.

"Because I pity you, and at the same time I envy you. I was born to be _this_, Kisara. Born to be cruel, born to destroy every law in this city's charter, born to lead the most ruthless criminal organization in Neo Domino… or I would, if not for that bastard Divine. You, on the other hand, are free to do what you like."

"That's a mistaken belief… I was never free. My whole life is a prison," Kisara murmured, staring at the Deck in her Duel Disk. "There's no freedom for me either… my freedom is a phantom."

"We'll see," Aino said. "Go on… win some freedom." She stood, laying a hand on Kisara's shoulder before walking away. "Show me your power and break your chains." With that, she left, striding out with a glance back at the young woman she was about to put through as much hell as she could.

"If I win… it's only because that's what my prison wants…"

"_Announcing tonight's match! Our reigning champion shall take the stage first! Welcome to the battlefield – Itou Tahuru!" _The cheers resonated down the passageway leading to the arena as the champion presumably entered, while Kisara stared at the floor. She knew what awaited her; she had talked to members of this Yakuza group before and knew how they operated. It was also plain from the dark metal bands fastened tightly around her ankles, forearms and neck, each set with a dark orange gem… Shock-Amplifying Devices.

"_And his challenger… a mysterious newcomer… Kisara!" _Feeling as if every inch of flesh, muscle and bone were lead, she stood, forcing herself down the passage into the iron cage of the arena, a dark expanse surrounded by spiked bars, making it impossible to escape, for the moment she entered a grate swung into place and locked over the passageway.

Opposite her stood Itou, a heavily-built man clad in dark leather garments, trousers, a tank top and a sleeveless black coat similar to her own. His shock of dark hair was ragged and grim, hanging down over one eye, the other deep with hate sent to his opponent like pure heat, striking her like a punch to the gut. The Duel Disk on his arm looked like some hideous bladed weapon, spiked and barbed, clearly designed to reflect the torture of this Underground Duel. The dark forms of Shock-Amplifying Devices coiled around his ankles, forearms and neck as well.

"_Duelists, activate your Disks!"_

"Prepare to enter Hell," Itou swore, activating his bladed, barbed Disk in a sharp motion. Kisara was silent as chill Death as she activated her Disk, a model marked across its card panel with six kanji glyphs, each the name of one of her Samurai, and coiled around the main body were six more glyphs, six different names.

"_Draw your hands!"_

They each tore five cards from the top of their Decks on that command.

"_Duel!"_

_**Kisara 8000LP/Itou 8000LP**_

"Enjoy Hell," Itou said as he drew. "I summon Necro Soldier." In a flash of flames, a small rotting mannequin of an archaic infantry soldier formed, drawing a decayed saber with a demonic cackle (0/0). "Next, I place one card face-down, and end my turn." The reversed card appeared before him in a flash of energy.

_**Kisara 8000LP/Itou 8000LP**_

"I draw!" Kisara snapped, taking up her next card.

"In your Standby Phase, the effect of Necro Soldier triggers, letting me Special Summon another from my Deck or hand," Itou said calmly. The demonic mannequin raised its sword, and a second formed in a flash of flames (0/0).

"And I shall use that Soldier's effect to Special Summon my third." The third Necro Soldier formed from fire (0/0).

"I activate the Spell Card, Gateway of the Six!" Kisara called, throwing the card into her Disk. Light spun and aligned behind her, creating a large circular gate inscribed with the intricate seal of the Six Samurai. "And next I summon The Six Samurai – Kamon!" A new Samurai formed, wearing armor apparently formed from sticks of dynamite, holding a stick of dynamite in hand, wearing dark robes and trousers beneath his armor (1500/1000). "Because I Normal Summoned a Six Samurai monster, my Gateway gains two Bushido Counters." Two shimmering orbs containing the Six Samurai seal appeared beside the Gateway.

"Kamon, attack the Necro Soldier in attack mode!" Kamon lit the stick of dynamite in his hand with a match, before hurling it through the air, the stick detonating and consuming the Necro Soldier, which burst into pixels.

(_Itou 6500LP_)

What happened next was expected, but frightening – the Shock-Amplifying Devices sparked, and then Itou was wrapped in crackling energies, writhing in pain, mouth foaming as sparks crackled over his entire body, then the shocks stopped and he composed himself, hair falling back from where it had been hurled out by the shock.

"I activate Damage Condenser, discarding a card to Special Summon a monster whose attack points are equal to or lower then the damage I just took!" Itou barked as the Trap lifted and he discarded a Mezuki. "I summon Necro Wall!" In a prominence of blood-crimson, a horrific wall-like being made from grey, rotting flesh formed, black tendrils whipping around it , the demonic face set into the wall's front leering at Kisara darkly (0/0).

"_Mezuki…" _Kisara thought for an instant, before returning her focus to the Duel. "I place one card face-down and end my turn." The reversed card appeared before her.

_**Kisara 8000LP/Itou 6500LP**_

"I draw," Itou said. "Now I use Mezuki's effect, removing it from play to Special Summon a Zombie-Type from the Graveyard." He pocketed the card and the third Necro Soldier (0/0) reappeared before him. "And now… behold the behemoth of Hell! I Release two Necro Soldiers," the two monsters fractured and shattered into spores of flame, which began to coalesce, "to Advance Summon _Daidarabotchi_!" The flame spores merged, creating a massive juggernaut of a beast, ape-like and muscular, clad only in a black kilt and mask. The Yokai gave an almighty roar as it towered over Kisara and her noble Samurai (2900/2500). "Daidarabotchi gains two-hundred attack points for every single other Zombie-Type on the field!" The behemoth began to glow with bloody light (3300/2500).

"Welcome to Hell! Daidarabotchi, attack her Samurai!" The massive Yokai howled and hurled a fist, crushing Kamon flat and shattering him…

"I won't take damage this time," Kisara answered. "I activate Desperate Tag!" The Trap Card lifted. "This lets me negate the Battle Damage and Special Summon a Level Four or lower Warrior-Type from my hand!" A shield of force surrounded her, stopping Daidarabotchi's fist, and she played a card. "I summon The Six Samurai – Yaichi!" In a flash of watery energy, a new Samurai appeared, clad in streamlined dark blue armor and wielding a yume bow in hand (1300/800). "And because a Six Samurai was summoned, my Gateway gains two more Bushido Counters." Two more counters appeared beside the Gateway (GotS: 4BC).

"I activate an Equip Spell Card, Raregold Armor, and equip it to Daidarabotchi," the disgusted Itou snapped, playing the card and causing a sheen of hazy gold to form around his beast. "By Raregold Armor's effect, you cannot attack a monster other than the equipped monster. Now I shall end my turn with two reverse cards, activating Necro Wall's effect, letting me Special a Necro Wall Token for each other Zombie-Type monster on the field." In bursts of shadow, two smaller versions of Necro Wall appeared before him (0/0), causing Daidarabotchi's aura to burn more fiercely (3700/2500) as the face-downs appeared.

_**Kisara 8000LP/Itou 6500LP**_

"I draw," Kisara said. "Next, I activate Gateway of the Six's effect. By removing two, four or six Bushido Counters from it, I can activate a different effect, so I'll remove all four to use the second effect, letting me add a Six Samurai from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand." The four counters shattered and a card slipped from her Deck into her hand (GotS: 0BC).

"I summon The Six Samurai – Zanji." In a flash of radiant light, the naginata-wielding samurai formed, gripping his weapon fiercely (1800/1300) as two Bushido Counters appeared on the Gateway (GotS: 2BC). "Now because I control another Six Samurai, I'll activate Yaichi's effect, skipping his attack for the turn to destroy one of your face-downs!" An arrow shot from Yaichi's bow towards the face-down card…

"I chain the card, Royal Decree, negating the effects of all Trap Cards," Itou replied as the Trap lifted. "And because it's no longer a face-down card, Yaichi's effect can't destroy it." The arrow flickered out of existence before impact, and Kisara swore.

"In that case, I activate the Spell Card, Asceticism of the Six Samurai. This lets me select a Six Samurai I control," Kisara snapped, "and Special Summon a different Six Samurai with the same attack score from the Deck. I select Zanji… to bring forth a spirit of the past. I summon… _True_ Six Samurai – Kizan!" The Spell appeared, depicting a young woman beneath a waterfall with a suit of armor discarded before her, her spirit rising up from her body, and then light flashed up from a Six Samurai seal upon the ground, creating a new figure, clad in armor black as the darkness veiling the world beyond this arena, hair just as dark, wielding a katana which glimmered in the brief, dim radiance created by the summon. Kizan snapped out his arm, pointing the katana at Daidarabotchi as a disdainful glare took over his expression (1800/500).

"_True Six Samurai?" _the announcer declared. _"What on earth is going on here?" _

"Because another Six Samurai was summoned, my Gateway gains two more Bushido Counters," the young woman continued as the counters appeared (GotS: 4BC), "and since I have two other Six Samurai out, Kizan gains three-hundred attack and defense points." Kizan began to glow with a soft radiance (2100/800). "I remove four counters from Gateway of the Six," the four counters shattered (GotS: 0BC), "to add Grandmaster of the Six Samurai from my Deck to my hand." The card slipped from her Deck into her hand. "If I control at least one Six Samurai, I can Special Summon Grandmaster of the Six Samurai from my hand!"

She played the card and in a flash of energy the monster appeared, an older version of Kizan, wielding the same katana but dressed in a black formal kimono under lighter plates of armor, with grizzled grey hair, one eye a cybernetic red orb (2100/800), then two counters appeared beside the Gateway of the Six (GotS: 2BC). "Now, Zanji, attack Daidarabotchi!" Zanji roared, charging with his weapon at the ready, but the behemoth hurled its fist to him and only Yaichi leaping in and pushing his comrade aside saved the golden-armored man, but Yaichi was then crushed and shattered in his place as Kisara cried out, the fist knocking her back.

(_Kisara 6100LP_)

And then pain burned through everything, she was screaming and writhing as sparks crackled through her form and set her nerves ablaze, she fell to her knees and screamed, writhing like a beast…

Then it ended, and she gasped in breath. "Yaichi sacrificed himself to protect Zanji… and now Zanji's effect destroys Daidarabotchi!"

"Actually, it doesn't," Itou answered as his remaining face-down appeared, prompting a muttered curse from Kisara. "My Body as a Shield makes me pay fifteen-hundred Life Points, but in return your monster's effect is negated and it's destroyed!" A crimson aura surrounded him as a sphere of force manifested around Daidarabotchi, shattering Zanji.

(_Itou 5000LP_)

The Shock-Amplifying Devices sparked and Itou howled and writhed as the electrical force tore through his body, before leaving him. "Why not protect Zanji with another Samurai?"

"Because due to Asceticism of the Six Samurai, Zanji would have been destroyed in the End Phase anyway," she explained. "I place one card face-down and end my turn." _"He'll attack Kizan because it has the lower points score, but if he does, then I can use Cunning of the Six Samurai to Release Grandmaster and bring Zanji back, giving my Gateway enough Bushido Counters to search me another Samurai…" _

_**Kisara 6100LP/Itou 5000LP**_

"I draw," Itou said, smirking darkly as he saw the card. "I equip my Daidarabotchi with the Equip Spell, Infernal Gauntlet." Daidarabotchi roared and raised its hand as a colossal, barbed demonic gauntlet formed on the massive fist. "Now I'll move to the Battle Phase and activate Infernal Gauntlet's effect, by Releasing a monster other than the equipped monster, the equipped monster gains one extra attack this turn. So I'll Release one Necro Wall Token," Daidarabotchi reached out and crushed one Token with its armored fist, burning with dark power as it roared (3500/2500).

"What?"

"Don't worry, Infernal Gauntlet stops Daidarabotchi from attacking directly… but feel Hell now! Daidarabotchi, attack Kizan!" The juggernaut Yokai hurled a fist, smashing into Kizan and crushing him before striking Kisara, who screamed in pain as the blow landed.

(_Kisara 4400LP_)

As the shocks set in, Kisara screamed and writhed once more, collapsing as the electrical power screamed through her body, then left her utterly burning with agony, shaking from left-over discharge and the memory of the burning pain.

"Now, attack the Grandmaster!" Daidarabotchi drew back its immense fist…

"I activate Cunning of the Six Samurai!" Kisara shouted as the Spell lifted. "I Release one Six Samurai," Grandmaster faded into light, which began to reform, "to Special Summon a Six Samurai from the Graveyard!" Zanji reformed, crouching defensively now (1800/1300), and was immediately crushed by the blow of Daidarabotchi's fist, but her Life Points were protected and two Bushido Counters appeared beside the Gateway (GotS: 4BC).

"I end my turn with a reverse card," Itou said, smug and in control now, he was beginning to take back the advantage, his card appeared and Necro Wall glowed, causing a Necro Wall Token to form (0/0), causing Daidarabotchi to glow more fiercely (3700/2500).

_**Kisara 4400LP/Itou 5000LP**_

"I draw," Kisara said, bringing her hand to two cards.

"I activate the effect of Gateway of the Six," the four counters shattered from it (GotS: 0BC) and a card shot from her Deck into her hand.

"I chain Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying your Gateway!" Itou snapped as a lightning bolt shot down, shattering the card.

"I activate the Spell Card, Six Samurai United," Kisara snapped coldly. A Spell Card appeared, glowing with energy and depicting the six base Samurai standing together. "Next, I activate Shien's Smoke Signal. This Spell Card lets me add a Level Three or below Six Samurai from my Deck to my hand, like True Six Samurai – Shinai." A card slipped from her Deck and shot into her hand.

"I summon True Six Samurai – Shinai!" In a flash of energy, another of the ancient Samurai formed, clad in dark violet armor trimmed in gold, wielding twin maces in hand (1500/1500). "Next, because I control Shinai, I can Special Summon True Six Samurai – Mizuho from my hand!" A flash of flame erupted into the shape of the Six Samurai seal, and from it stepped a young, beautiful woman clad in the crimson armor of a samurai, wielding two weapons, one like a sickle, the other like a short scythe, her long black hair trailing behind her as she took a stance beside Shinai, the two exchanging meaningful looks (1600/1000). As the two stood together, two Bushido Counters formed around Six Samurai United (SSU: 2BC).

"I activate my Mizuho's effect, once per turn, by Releasing another Six Samurai; I can destroy any card on the field."

"No!" Itou cried, but Mizuho raised her scythe, and Shinai nodded, transforming into flames which coated the weapon before Mizuho swung it, unleashing a burning blade which ripped across the caged arena and sliced Daidarabotchi in half, shattering the colossal Yokai.

"_An incredible turn! Itou's mighty ace has been toppled by Kisara's monster effect! Can he recover?"_

"Next, because Shinai was Released, I can add any other Six Samurai in the Graveyard to my hand," Kisara said, taking Grandmaster of the Six Samurai from the Graveyard and quickly playing it, causing the elderly samurai to appear before her (2100/800). "Finally, I activate Six Samurai United's effect, sending it to the Graveyard to draw once for each Bushido Counter on it." The card dissolved into grains of light as she drew twice. _"Damn… Trap Cards… they're useless with that Royal Decree still out… well, next turn Mizuho can get rid of it…"_

"Mizuho, attack Necro Wall! Grandmaster, attack a Necro Wall Token!" The two charged, cutting through the hideously decayed flesh-walls with sweeps of their blades before returning to Kisara's side as the heaps of flesh left in their wake shattered. "Turn end!"

_**Kisara 4400LP/Itou 5000LP**_

Itou had not spoken since Daidarabotchi was destroyed, but something had entered his eyes the instant the beast had shattered. Rage. Fiery, burning rage boiled within those cold, cruel orbs, and Kisara felt a stab of fear even as he silently tore his next card from his Deck.

"You're the first," he said, tone clipped, cold and sharp. "The first to ever overcome Daidarabotchi. Most couldn't withstand the shocks coupled with its power. I see that for you, I need more." He gave a cold, cruel chuckle. "I activate Reinforcement of the Army, adding one Level Four or lower Warrior-Type from my Deck to my hand." A card shot into his hand and he flashed it to Kisara.

"_Elemental Hero Stratos? What is that doing in a Zombie Deck? For that matter, what's Reinforcement of the Army doing in a Zombie Deck?"_

"I promised you Hell," Itou said, beginning to grow louder with each word even as he hurled the card onto his Disk, causing a heroic figure to erupt up in a whirling maelstrom of wind, a man clad in a blue-and-grey bodysuit, face covered by a mirrored visor and held aloft by mechanical wings containing a pair of screaming turbines (1800/300). "Elemental Hero Stratos's monster effect! When he's summoned, I can either add a Hero monster from the Deck to my hand, or destroy Spell and Trap Cards up to the number of other Hero monsters I control. I select the first effect – _Emergency Call_!" Stratos burst with emerald light, causing a card to slip from Itou's Deck, the man taking it up very carefully and very deliberately.

"What is that card?" Kisara asked, noting how he stared at it with that anger becoming more prominent in his eyes with each second his eyes lingered on the card.

"I Release Elemental Hero Stratos," Itou barked as the hero turned a shade of hideous, grim sanguine, "and my Necro Wall Tokens that remain," the last two Tokens followed suit, turning that dark, bloody crimson, "to summon true, never-ending Hell! Behold Hell's champion!" The three monsters exploded in a vicious fountain of gore which drenched his whole side of the field, before beginning to collect, droplets flying to create a central mass. Wings snapped out, a draconic head formed on one forearm, and the being raised a head, blood dripping before it began to truly solidify, turning a rusty shade of sanguine as pale flesh became visible beneath the armor.

"Arise… _**Destiny Hero Bloo-D**_!" Kisara trembled in true, unrelenting fear for an instant as Bloo-D raised its head and its cold, merciless eyes of crimson blood met her own, then she caught herself. But she had to strain to prevent that terrified trembling as Bloo-D gave a feral, bloodthirsty roar, snapping its wings to their full extent while raising the draconic head on its right arm. Those bloody eyes never left Kisara as the barbed, demonic form of the forbidden card hung like some terrifying envoy of Armageddon, a being of blood, slaughter and death… (1900/600)

"Impossible…" Kisara whispered.

"_I agree! How can Itou possibly have a copy of the legendary Destiny Hero Bloo-D? How can he possibly have access to the most fearsome of the one-of-a-kind Destiny Heroes?" _

"How I got my hands on Hell's champion isn't your concern right now," Itou laughed, "what is your concern are its effects! Firstly, Bloo-D can absorb a monster you control to gain half that monster's attack points onto its own! _Gravity Blood_!" Bloo-D spread its wings and suction erupted from them, catching the Grandmaster and ripping him into particles of blood which soaked in the Destiny Hero's wings, making it roar as a bloody aura surrounded its form (2950/600). "Attack True Six Samurai – Mizuho! _Vengeful Rain_!" The wings suddenly soaked with blood, before a hail of gore ripped from them and tore through the woman like a shower of blades, tearing her apart in a single, horrific instant, her form shattering.

(_Kisara 3050LP_)

Then the young woman howled and screamed in agony as the Shock-Amplifying Devices sparked, her world vanishing into a void of red and burning pain…

SS07

"What is it?" The black Deck case was snapped open and a Deck removed from it, the card at the front glowing with a fiery, angry aura of blood-red. The card depicted the demonic form of Destiny Hero Bloo-D; its name burning in red at the card's top as the silver-haired young man scanned the image of the monster. "What's wrong?"

SS07

The electricity ceased its agonizing rampage through her body, and Kisara remained knelt for an instant, still shaking as discharge crackled around her for another few moments.

"I end my turn," Itou smirked.

_**Kisara 3050LP/Itou 5000LP**_

"I draw!" Kisara barked, standing. "I activate Magical Mallet, returning the cards in my hand to the Deck and drawing the same number of cards!" She placed the two Trap Cards (Shien's Plot and Double-Edged Sword Technique) back onto her Deck, which shuffled, and then she drew twice, smiling.

"I remove Yaichi and Kamon from play," she pocketed the cards, "to Special Summon Enishi, Shien's Chancellor!" A Six Samurai seal formed, then shattered to reveal Enishi, who drew his katana, glaring fiercely at Bloo-D (2200/1200). "Now I activate Enishi's effect, skipping his attack to destroy your Bloo-D!" Enishi raised his katana, but was instantly stopped, frozen by an aura of blood-red around him.

"Bloo-D has another effect," Itou smirked. "While it remains in play, all of your monster effects on the field are negated! _Bloody Fears_!"

"No… I end my turn…"

_**Kisara 3050LP/Itou 5000LP**_

"I draw," Itou said cruelly, taking the card in hand. "Bloo-D, attack Enishi! _Vengeful Rain_!" The hail of gore burst from Bloo-D's wings and Enishi was torn apart, before Kisara screamed, feeling the blades rip into her.

(_Kisara 2300LP_)

The young woman writhed and screamed as the Shock-Amplifying Devices activated, before falling limply to her knees as the shock ended.

"I'd surrender," Itou said coldly. "You can't hope to win against Bloo-D."

"The Bloo-D you shouldn't even have!"

"As I said, that doesn't matter. I have it, and it's overpowering your entire field with ease. You can't defend with Trap Cards due to Royal Decree, and your monster effects are paralyzed by Bloo-D itself. I end my turn."

_**Kisara 2300LP/Itou 5000LP**_

"I… draw!" Kisara cried. "I place a monster in defense mode, and activate my second Six Samurai United!" The reverse card appeared, followed by the glowing Six Samurai United card.

_**Kisara 2300LP/Itou 5000LP**_

"Draw," Itou sighed. "I activate Stop Defense, switching your monster into attack position." The archaic Spell appeared and Kisara's monster flipped over and twisted to vertical position, revealing an ape-like creature in feudal Japanese dress, wielding a spear (700/300). "Bloo-D, attack with _Vengeful Rain_!" For the third time, a hail of gore ripped forwards and Shien's Footsoldier screamed as it was ripped apart, followed rapidly by Kisara's agonized howls as the Shock-Amplifying Devices delivered their most intense shock yet.

(_Kisara 50LP_)

As the shock stopped, the woman choked out a mouthful of blood, shaking as her fists clenched. "Shien's Footsoldier's effect! When it's destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon a Level Three or lower Six Samurai from the Deck! Come out, Yariza!" In a flash of energy, the final of the original Six Samurai appeared, clad in black armor with a cone-shaped helmet, wielding a spear with a blade of energy attached to his arm by a black cord (1000/500), as a Bushido Counter appeared by Six Samurai United (SSU: 2BC).

"So you cling onto life like a tenacious cockroach," Itou smirked. "But soon enough you'll see true Hell. I activate Sealer Formation." A Continuous Spell appeared, depicting a black-clad ninja performing a hand sign, burning a kanji-marked seal before him. "This lets me skip my Draw Phase to add one of four cards from the Graveyard to my hand, and Stop Defense is one of them. Turn end."

_**Kisara 50LP/Itou 5000LP**_

"I… draw…" Kisara groaned, blood still trickling down her chin. "I activate The Warrior Returning Alice… returning a Warrior-Type from the Graveyard to my hand…" True Six Samurai – Kizan slipped from the Graveyard, and she played it, trembling in pain. In a flash of energy from a Six Samurai seal, Kizan formed, drawing his katana (1800/500) and a Bushido Counter appeared on Six Samurai United (SSU: 2BC). Kisara weakly gestured and the card faded into golden motes as she drew twice.

"_This card… Kai…"_

"It's time for your Bloo-D to die…" she said. "From my hand… I summon _Beast King Barbaros_!" Fire burst up, blood-red and raging, before being torn aside to reveal a towering centaurian beast, with the body of a colossal black lion, tail ending in a barbed spine, while upon the lion's neck rose up a muscular man's torso, wielding a large crimson lance and a blue hoplite shield, his head feral and leonine, armored plates surrounding its waist and face (3000/1200).

Itou laughed. "Idiot! I know that card! If you use its effect to summon it without Releasing monsters, its attack points fall to nineteen-hundred!" Then Kisara's own laughter cut him off as the aura of Bloo-D's _Bloody Fears _effect surrounded Barbaros, Yariza and Kizan. "Why are you laughing?"

"The irony… you don't get it. Bloo-D negates _all _the effects of my monsters on the field, including the one which makes Barbaros lose attack points!" The color drained from Itou's face as this sank in and Barbaros remained resolute with its three-thousand attack points, enough to overpower Blood-D. "Beast King Barbaros is a memory! A memory of a treasured past… my past is what makes me strong! Barbaros, strike down Bloo-D! _Death Sentence_!" Barbaros roared and charged, lashing out with the lance and impaling Bloo-D through the chest, causing a horrific shriek to escape the Destiny Hero before it shattered in a rain of gore.

(_Itou 4950LP_)

Even as the Shock-Amplifying Devices activated, Kisara was merciless now, driven to her limit and beyond by Bloo-D. "Yariza! Kizan! Attack!" First the spear-wielder hurled his weapon, which stabbed through Itou's chest.

(_Itou 3950LP_)

Then Kizan followed up with a magnificent blow of his katana across Itou's chest, even as Yariza pulled on the rope connecting him to the spear, pulling it straight back to his hand.

(_Itou 2150LP_)

"You… haven't won…" Itou whispered, voice wracked with pain, before Kisara played one last single card.

"I activate Six Scrolls of the Samurai," she spoke coldly. "This lets me Release two Six Samurai," Kizan and Yariza nodded as they combusted into flames, "to Special Summon Great Shogun Shien from the Deck!" The flames shattered, revealing the burning, crimson-armored shogun as he drew his katana (2500/2400). "Shien, end this Duel! _Burning Execution_!" Shien roared and charged, slashing his burning blade across Itou's chest and causing the man to howl in intense agony as he was shocked for the final time.

_**Kisara 50LP/Itou 0LP**_

Itou collapsed, cards spilling out onto the floor, and Kisara strode to him, plucking up one single card from the floor.

"Get those doors open, NOW!" The doors were ripped open and men filed in, followed by Aino. "Kisara!" The young woman grimly turned, sparks of anger dancing in her eyes. Before Aino's bodyguards could react, Kisara had raced forwards, grabbed Aino and pinned her up against the cage wall, furiously brandishing the card in her face – Destiny Hero Bloo-D.

"Did you know he had this?" she snarled.

"No!" Aino barked, shoving Kisara away with a single motion, she was stronger than she appeared. "I knew nothing about that card! I don't know how he could have gotten hold of it either. If it was stolen, there would have been an uproar. The Phoenix Estate is zealous as it is about the Destiny Heroes, but so much as breathe on Bloo-D and they'll be up in arms. It must be a counterfeit, or something."

Kisara glared down at the 'counterfeit' Bloo-D, recalling the terror she had felt at the beast's first appearance. "If it's fake, I'm sure they won't mind this." She gripped the card at each end, and ripped it in half down the middle, before turning the halves and ripping them, reducing the card to four quarters of cardboards, anger clear in her eyes as she took out her building rage upon the card, tearing it to pieces.

"Where are the Vessels?" she snarled, voice full of pent-up rage…

SS07

The silver-haired young man gazed down at his own copy of Bloo-D with piercing pale brown eyes, hints of blue barely visible in the orbs. He sat down upon a silver couch, his black blazer and trousers creasing slightly as he leaned back, staring at the card still.

"_Bloo-D is angry." _The man glanced sideways, taking in the transparent figure beside him, a dark-skinned man clad in a black bodysuit and green cape, body studded with diamond crystals which grew out like spikes from his form, eyes covered by a diamond visor beneath his white-blonde hair. _"Something happened… an imitation." _

"An imitation… you mean a counterfeit? Someone had the nerve to counterfeit a Destiny Hero? To counterfeit _Bloo-D_?"

"_Apparently, that is so, in Neo Domino City." _

"Neo Domino…" the young man glanced back at Bloo-D's card. "In that case, Diamondguy… I may be going home sooner rather than later…"

SS07

_**Card Stats:**_

_**Monsters:**_

Necro Soldier  
FIRE/ Zombie/Effect /Level 4/ATK: 0/DEF: 0  
During each of your opponent's Standby Phases, you can Special Summon 1 "Necro Soldier" from your hand or Deck.

(Necro Soldier was first used by Dark Bakura in the second series anime episode 'The Legendary Guardian God – Exodia Revives!' Creative credit for it goes to the writers of the second series anime.)

SS07

Necro Wall  
DARK/ Zombie/Effect /Level 1/ATK: 0/DEF: 0  
During your End Phase, you can Special Summon 1 "Necro Wall Token" (DARK/Zombie-Type/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0) for each face-up Zombie-Type monster on the field, except this card.

(Necro Wall was first used by Dark Bakura in the second series anime episode 'Summon! The Three Gods'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of the second series anime.)

SS07

Daidarabotchi  
EARTH/ Zombie/Effect /Level 10/ATK: 2900/DEF: 2500  
This card cannot be Special Summoned. This card gains 200 ATK for each Zombie-Type monster on the field, except for this card.

(Daidarabotchi was first used by Misawa in the GX manga chapter 'Birth of the Ultimate Tag'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of the GX manga. Its effect has been altered slightly from the manga in accordance with how the Yokai Monsters have been altered in real-life.)

SS07

True Six Samurai – Kizan  
EARTH/ Warrior/Effect /Level 4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 500  
If you control a face-up "Six Samurai" monster, except "True Six Samurai - Kizan", you can Special Summon this card from your hand. While you control 2 or more other face-up "Six Samurai" monsters, this card gains 300 ATK and DEF.

SS07

True Six Samurai – Shinai  
WATER/ Warrior/Effect /Level 3/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1500  
If you control a face-up "True Six Samurai - Mizuho", you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If this card is Tributed, select and add 1 "Six Samurai" monster from your Graveyard to your hand, except "True Six Samurai - Shinai".

SS07

True Six Samurai – Mizuho  
FIRE/ Warrior/Effect /Level 3/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1000  
If you control a face-up "True Six Samurai - Shinai", you can Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per turn, you can Tribute 1 "Six Samurai" monster, except this card, to destroy 1 card on the field.

(The True Six Samurai were released in the OCG set Storm of Ragnarok. They are due for release in the TCG in February. In the TCG they will be known as 'Legendary Six Samurai', I have used the original name as I prefer it.)

SS07

_**Spells:**_

Asceticism of the Six Samurai  
Quick-Play Spell Card  
Image: An unarmored True Six Samurai – Mizuho stood beneath a waterfall, holding True Six Samurai – Shinai's helmet, with her armor and weapons discarded in the foreground.  
Select 1 face-up "Six Samurai" monster you control. Special Summon 1 "Six Samurai" monster with a different name and an equal ATK from your Deck. During this turn's End Phase, destroy the selected monster.

SS07

Shien's Smoke Signal  
Normal Spell Card  
Image: Two samurai stood atop a watchtower, one using a brazier which he uses to produce smoke signals in the sky.  
Add 1 Level 3 or lower "Six Samurai" monster from your Deck to your hand.

(The above two cards were released to the OCG in Storm of Ragnarok, and will be released in the TCG in February.)

SS07

Infernal Gauntlet  
Equip Spell Card  
Image: A warrior smirking and staring down at his arm, which is encased in a crimson-red, demonic gauntlet.  
During your Battle Phase, you can Tribute 1 monster, except the equipped monster, to have the equipped monster gain an additional attack in addition to its normal attack. The equipped monster cannot attack your opponent directly.

(Infernal Gauntlet was first used by the brainwashed Manjoume in the GX episode 'Do Your Best! Ojama Trio (Part 1)'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of GX.)

SS07

Sealer Formation  
Continuous Spell Card  
Image: A black-clad Shinobi performing a hand sign as a kanji-marked seal before him burns.  
During your Draw Phase, you can add 1 "Stop Defense", "Block Attack", "Mask of Restrict", or "Anti-Spell Fragrance" from your Graveyard to your hand instead of drawing.

(Sealer Formation was first used by Taigo Sorano in the GX episode 'Opening of Graduation Duel! Neos vs. Black Flame Dragon of Horus'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of GX.)

SS07

(Author's Note: From now on, each chapter will have a featured card, in the vein of the series. It will be placed here, below the card stats.)

_**Featured Card:**_

_Daidarabotchi, Gateway of the Six, Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, Destiny Hero Bloo-D, Royal Decree_

Today's featured card is **Destiny Hero Bloo-D**, Edo Phoenix's trump card, beaten only in his Deck by the immensely powerful Destiny End Dragoon. Able to assimilate the power of an opponent's monster to strengthen itself, and deny your opponent's monsters their effects, Bloo-D can easily cause immense damage to an opponent's field. Only one true copy of this terrifying beast exists in the entire world and is jealously guarded by the Phoenix Estate, in particular Edo's current successor, who rarely utilizes Bloo-D. When unleashed, the card bears a promise of ruin to the one it opposes, having only been defeated three times in its entire history.

SS07

A brief note, I'd like to thank Scarlet Weather for telling me about the Vayu the Emblem of Honor ruling which made the Duel Puzzle solution possible, so credit for that Duel Puzzle goes to him.

Next time… first up, a clash of cultures, a desire to have fun against a desire to win, an overwhelming force against an intangible defense… as a foreign assailant approaches, a warrior of the earth steps up to face them… Then it's Kelsey's time to shine again, as she faces off against beings of the storm itself… can she survive against these strangely powerful beings?

It's Chapter Eight – Atmosphere Forever!


	8. Chapter 8: Atmosphere Forever

_**Chapter 8 – Atmosphere Forever**_

The day drew on in Neo Domino, the sun steadily fulfilling its archway passage across the sky. A jet plane soared towards the city, catching the light and shining.

Within, leaning neatly back into the comfortable crimson upholstery, was a man, cocky-looking, with gray eyes that sparked with confidence, neatly trimmed black hair and deeply-tanned skin burnished brown by warm Florida sun. He wore a military-style white uniform, topped by a gray beret, and the Duel Disk on his right arm was rather Spartan and bare in design, merely gunmetal gray with no decoration.

"_Japan… it's time America shattered this last source of pride…"_

SS08

"_Everybody listen!"_

From the TV came the enthusiastic voice of Neo Domino's Master of Ceremonies, as Julian, Drago and Milo sat, eagerly watching the awaited annual Duel of pride between Neo Domino, Japan, and Tallahassee, Florida, the United States, the camera currently fixated down on the empty Duel Arena at the center of Neo Domino Coliseum.

"So another year, another Duel," Milo mused. "Another chance for the Americans to try their luck."

"They'll fail. They're facing Yamato Orimoto," Drago said, closing his eyes. "You think an American with a Cookie Cutter Deck stands one chance against the grandson of Edo Phoenix? C'mon, Yamato is the Japanese national champion. Against an American running Quickdraw Dandywarrior, or some other American tournament Deck… they have no chance."

"I agree," Julian said. "Yamato is just in too high a league, and his Destiny Heroes are too powerful."

"_Firstly, our esteemed guest, the state champion of Florida, Texas and Louisiana, the United States representative, Raphael Daniels!" _The three watched as the man in the white military uniform strode onto the field to utter silence from the obviously-hostile audience. _"And opposing him, due to unfortunate circumstances beyond control, is Mitsuru Tasaki!"_

"_What_?" Julian, Drago and Milo exclaimed in unison as a man walked slowly and purposefully onto the field, his brown leather coat flapping at his legs as he took his position. The camera angle shifted to show the new combatant more clearly, and all three viewers were stunned at the chill scorn in his hard brown eyes as he regarded Raphael, raising a Duel Disk seemingly made of gem-adorned stone. The crowd seemed reluctant to cheer, cheated of their true champion, but eventually burst into soft applause.

"Who the hell is that guy?" Milo asked.

"I don't know," Julian murmured. "But there's something about him…"

"_You've dominated long enough! It's time for America to shine!" _Raphael spoke from the television, breaking Julian's concentration. Mitsuru was silent for another few instants.

"_The only 'shine' your nation gives off is the fires of destruction. And I promise you, against the unbroken earth, destructive flame stands no chance." _

"_A strong challenge from Mitsuru!" _the MC declared. _"Duelists, draw your hands!"_

SS08

Two figures stood atop the arena, gazing down from just out of sight. Kengo and Taiga stood together, cutting imposing silhouettes upon the rooftop for the few sea-birds that could see them as they regarded the two opponents far below grimly.

"I don't get it," Taiga said, crossing his arms. "Why does some guy from the states coming over here mean so much?"

"It's a matter of a long, bitter feud," Kengo sighed. "You see, Taiga, aside from Japan, the United States of America is the largest market of Duel Monsters worldwide. So there has always been something of a rivalry between us and the United States. The situation is made more heated by the fact that our two nations respectively have different ideals of what Duel Monsters should be."

"Different ideals?" a confused Taiga questioned. "The aim of Duel Monsters is to win!"

"That is the precise view taken by American Professional Duelists," Kengo explained, "that winning matters above all else. Whereas, the concept in our Professional Leagues is that entertainment and having fun is more important than who actually wins."

"So we have different ideas, so what?"

"We kept winning," Kengo explained quite bluntly. "And the American side of the argument couldn't understand why, if we didn't design Decks to win with overwhelming force like they do, they couldn't beat us… so we arranged this once a year to humor them. That's why Mitsuru is now down there facing that American champion, with our whole country behind him, and that American champion has his whole country behind him as well… this is a matter of national pride."

"But it doesn't matter… I thought there were World Championships later this year?"

"There are, but this is a more personal thing. It also isn't conducted by regular rules. As a homage to the days when this annual event was established, the annual Duel is conducted by the four-thousand Life Points format…"

SS08

"What did I miss?"

"A lot," Drago said as Julian re-entered the room. "Raphael just had his first turn." Julian's jaw nearly dropped when he saw the scores and cards. When he had left the room, Mitsuru had controlled three reverse cards, a monster and two others. Now the Japanese duelist's field was a barren waste, and Raphael controlled two monsters, a towering mecha-like terror coated by black, crimson and gold armor, with four arms and four blade-like wings tearing the sky behind it (2600/2500), and a colossal dragon formed from scrap-metal and garbage, with burning red eyes, venting steam across its form (2800/2000). The Junk Destroyer and Scrap Dragon had reaped a heavy toll on Mitsuru already, as the scores indicated from the base of the screen.

_**Mitsuru 1400LP/Raphael 4000LP**_

"How did he survive?" Julian asked.

"Junk Destroyer brought his Life Points down, then Mitsuru used a Trap called Gem Barricade to block Scrap Dragon's attack," Milo said. "But with those powerful Synchros out… this is what Americans do… out of desire to win…"

"_You Americans… you're all the same. You all just destroy… you tear down everything… like those Synchro Monsters you make your pride. Your Decks do nothing but obliterate and burn…"_ Mitsuru said, speaking the harsh accusations from the television grimly, the words hard as granite.

"_Are you calling my country into question?"_ his opponent snapped.

"_People still die in Vietnam from American explosives. That war was over a hundred years ago, and people still die as a consequence of your country's imperialistic views. It's an empire disguised as a democracy, believing it has the right to descend on any nation and tear down the lives of those who lived in peace. Korea. Vietnam. Afghanistan. Iraq. The list is endless. No wonder you use destructive Decks. Destruction is what your country brings."_

"This happening mid-Duel?" Drago said.

"Can't you see it, and hear it?" Julian questioned. "There's passion in his eyes and his voice… and hate too."

"_Your country's destructive tactics tore down all I cherished! Your military might and those abominations you call 'Synchros'… consider this turn a shard of my retribution! I activate the Spell Card, Hidden Armory! This lets me add one Equip Spell Card from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand, at the cost of sending a card from the top of my Deck to the Graveyard and not using a Normal Summon this turn!"_ He placed Gemknight Rumarin into the Graveyard and a card shot from his Deck into his hand on screen.

"Synchros?" Milo echoed.

"_Next, I activate Dark Factory of Mass Production, adding Gemknights Rumarin and Sapphia from the Graveyard to my hand."_ Two cards slipped from the Graveyard and Mitsuru took them in hand._ "And for my final play, Gemknight Fusion! I fuse Gemknights Rumarin and Sapphia…!" _In flashes of crystal light, a heroic-looking golden knight who crackled with thunder, and a slender aqua-blue knight shining with watery light appeared, soaring into the heavens where they crashed into one with a boom of thunder audible across the city from outside.

"There's something not right…" Drago said, his eyes flashing golden. "Something's… off…"

"_There are forces contained in the earth beyond the belief of anyone. Thunder, crash down and split the heavens! Fusion Summon! Gemknight Paz!" _Mitsuru chanted fiercely and fierily, raising a hand. A vibrant bolt of lightning split the sky, crashing down right before him, and when it faded a heroic knight rose up, crackling with thunder across his golden armor, decorated with lightning designs. A dark cape flapped behind him as he raised his weapons, a pair of lightning-shaped tonfa, the camera focusing entirely on the monster, inadvertently catching Mitsuru's hate-filled eyes (1800/1800).

"A Fusion Monster… but it's too weak to defeat either Junk Destroyer or Scrap Dragon," Julian murmured.

"There's a card… if he searched what I think he did…" Drago replied.

"_Equip Spell Card, Fusion Weapon! My Gemknight Paz will gain fifteen-hundred attack points as he is a Level Six or lower Fusion Monster!" _A burning, angry aura started to glow around Paz, who roared, spinning his tonfa to a ready position with the blades mere extensions of his forearms (3300/1800). _"Paz can attack twice, and when he destroys a monster in battle, you take damage equal to the destroyed monster's attack points!"_

"Impossible…" Milo breathed. "A One-Turn Kill against two powerful Synchros…"

"_Let me punish your power! Gemknight Paz, attack his monsters! Stormblade!" _The Gemknight erupted forwards, crackling with storm-charged force as he swung his tonfa, unleashing blades of lightning which cleaved through Junk Destroyer and Scrap Dragon, shattering both into molten shards before the lightning speared Raphael, hurling him to the ground in a boom of thunder as his Life Points were annihilated…

_**Mitsuru 1400LP/Raphael 0LP**_

The three sat in stunned silence as the monster faded away, Mitsuru turning and silently walking away from the fallen American duelist without any other words. Nothing needed to be said. His actions were enough.

SS08

"I knew he'd win," Taiga said, turning away from the arena.

"Of course you did," Kengo smiled with the barest hint of sarcasm. "Mitsuru merely predicted his opponent and acted accordingly with that prediction." Taiga gave a dry laugh.

"What, that his opponent used Synchro Monsters?"

"It's a common trend in America," the Vessel of Light explained. "Very few Decks in American tournaments will be used without at least one Synchro Monster. Indeed, most will take up the full fifteen cards allowed in the Extra Deck."

"He didn't use a single Anti-Synchro card," Taiga pointed out. "Discord, Gundari… not one."

"He knew his opponent would play with power," Kengo summed up. "And he simply utilized ways to make his own monsters more powerful. With that, he overturned that power and won without employing the mass-destruction tactics he was so critical of."

"I still don't get why the hell he was chosen," Taiga snorted, changing the subject. "Why choose someone who hates the type of card you manifest as…?"

"Who can understand what governs fate?" Kengo said with a soft smile. "Our presence here is no longer needed. Let's get back to matters which require us…"

SS08

"Alright, everyone, listen up!" The group of bored young adults turned as one, the only person already facing the front was Keisuke, who was dressed in his D-Wheeler attire. The speaker was Kazama, astride his D-Wheel in Security attire.

"Huh…?" Kelsey said as she stood beside Keisuke, surprised. She raised a hand, and Kazama looked to her.

"Yes, Miss Asagi?"

"Where's Officer Ushio?" she asked.

"I'm afraid Officer Ushio has suffered injuries in the line of duty," the man explained. "So for the time being, I'm taking over these lessons. Now, get out your D-Wheels, and let's get started…"

SS08

A few hours later, the sun was starting to descend to the horizon, as Kelsey and Keisuke walked through the Neo Domino streets in their casual clothes, Duel Disks on their arms.

"How are you?" Kelsey asked. "After last night, I mean…"

"Fine," he replied curtly. "I couldn't tell mom and dad… I tried to… but it would have hurt them too much to hear how Taiga was so…" His voice trailed off as though he were trying to find the right word.

"Vicious?" she offered, he nodded slowly in response. "Milo lost to Kengo… he told me that Kengo was more polite… as if he hadn't gone as far as Taiga…"

"He's as devoted to this thing as Taiga is… I don't _understand_, Kelsey!" His voice was filled with a feeling of helplessness. "Why? Why did they become this? What happened to them while they were gone? What _changed _them? And who was that girl last night?"

"I don't know, Keisuke… I just don't know…"

"Their Decks… Taiga changed… what did Kengo use?"

"Milo said he used these 'Camelot' cards… I did some research. Apparently they're inspired by quite famous British myths… about a king who assembled a court of knights at his castle, Camelot; around a Round Table… the names were the same… Bors… Dagonet… Lancelot…"

"That's the same… he used those cards before he vanished… they were a new Deck he was trying out…" Keisuke said softly. "Maybe you're right… maybe Kengo hasn't fallen as far… yet…"

"But Taiga… he's different. You saw him… how vicious and angry he seemed… like he was hitting out at the world when he attacked Drago each time… and those Fallen Angels…"

"I looked those cards up," Keisuke replied. "The Fallen Angels are a rare play-set of cards given a limited release by I2." He sounded slightly happier now his brothers weren't the subject of conversation. "How on earth Taiga got hold of them…" His voice trailed off, sounding melancholy again now.

"Maybe we can get them back… if we find out who caused this…" Kelsey said.

"How can we find that out?"

"They were taking Black Flare back somewhere… if we can find that place; we can find who caused this… all of this. Officer Ushio was missing today… Taiga said he's put a 'Penalty' on someone else… so Taiga must have attacked him. Keisuke… even if we get them back… they may have committed crimes…"

"I don't care… you don't get it, Kelsey. You don't know what it's like to not know what's happened to those you care most about…" Her eyes turned dark for an instant. "Until last night, I didn't even know that Kengo and Taiga were alive. Even if they will be convicted and punished… just having them back is good enough." She suddenly picked up speed, moving rapidly ahead of her friend. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she snapped coldly, eyes at once angry and sad.

"Kelsey!"

"It's nothing, Keisuke," she insisted. "I'm going to Kurumizawa's shop to see if I can get any new cards." With that, she strode briskly off, leaving Keisuke staring after her, puzzled.

"What did I say?"

SS08

"If he even knew…"

Kelsey whispered angrily, fighting the temptation to angrily attack Keisuke verbally, she knew he had suffered, truly, but how dare he say she didn't know what it was like…

She stopped and pushed open the door beside her, entering a shop, with brightly-colored booster packs hung up on racks against the walls, along with other Duel Monsters products like dolls and action figures of famous monsters like White Magician Pikeru and Card Ejector. Currently the store was empty except for two others, the owner, a short, bulky man dressed in a chocolate-brown jacket over a green shirt, a yellow and red-striped hat perched atop his head, and another customer, a young woman perhaps a year or two younger than Kelsey herself, with dark brown hair cut to shoulder height and sky-gray eyes hard and cold as ice, wearing a black shirt, skirt and leggings, the Duel Disk on her arm high-tech and well-cared-for. As Kelsey walked in, the girl handed the owner several yen notes, taking the bag of booster packs she had selected and walking away.

"Thanks, Kurumizawa," she said, passing Kelsey without the slightest glance to the other young woman and leaving.

"Always a pleasure, Alicia," the man replied with a nod, before turning to Kelsey. "Is there anything you want in particular?"

"No… I'm just browsing," she shrugged, scanning the shelves. "Huh…" she crossed to them, looking with interest at one pack. "Titans of Legend? What's this?"

"Oh, it's a new booster they brought out a few weeks back," Kurumizawa explained as Kelsey examined the booster, the artwork of which depicted Ally of Justice Catastor, Worm King and Naturia Extrio. "It's basically a big bundle of ace cards from a load of different Archetypes, mostly the newer Synchro-based ones from the Duel Terminal series… y'know, that big back-story the I2 people came up with for Archetypes like Flamvells, Ice Barrier, Naturia, Dragunity and so on…?"

"Yeah, I know the Duel Terminal stories."

"But there are a couple of older Archetypes whose aces are in there, Venoms, Cloudians, Spheres and so on… it's a decent pack if you want to get some powerful monsters."

"I guess I'll buy…"

"Stop right there!" The door burst open, revealing a somewhat eccentric-looking young man, with straw-blonde hair, sky blue eyes and pale skin, dressed in a blue jacket adorned with white cloud symbols, dark jeans and a steel-gray fedora perched atop his brow. "That pack is mine!"

"Uh…" Kurumizawa began, before trailing off when the young man gave him a withering glare. "I think I'll just let you settle this…"

"I was in here first," Kelsey pointed out.

"I've waited every day for the last three weeks to get just one of those boosters!" the young man shouted. "It's mine by right of effort!"

"Effort? Why weren't you in here _before _I came, then?"

"I had my piano tutor… but now I don't, and that booster is mine! I'm not afraid to fight you for it!" He put up a hand.

"No, no, no!" Kurumizawa cried. "I won't have violence in my store! If you want to fight over the booster pack, you'll Duel for it, not fist-fight!" Kelsey raised an eyebrow, then shrugged and raised her Duel Disk.

"Let's take this outside then… uh, what's your name?"

"Masaki Ideki!" the other young man announced, pulling something from the strap slung over his shoulder and chest, a sky-blue Duel Disk with snow-white gems set into it. He slid the device onto his arm, snapping open a Deck box concealed beneath his jacket and withdrawing the Deck from it, sliding the cards into place within the Disk. The two exited the store as Kurumizawa stood, moving to the door.

"This could be interesting to watch," he mused as the two raised their Disk arms, taking positions outside opposite each other before drawing their five cards.

"Winner gets the booster, loser goes home with nothing," Masaki announced. "Let's do this!" The Disks activated, and the game began…

_**Kelsey 8000LP/Masaki 8000LP**_

"I'll start!" Masaki shouted fierily, tearing a card from his Deck. "I throw out a monster in defense mode!" A reversed monster appeared before him. "Now I play two face-downs, and end my turn!" Two more face-down cards appeared.

_**Kelsey 8000LP/Masaki 8000LP**_

"I draw," Kelsey said. "I summon Ally Genex Duradark!" A flash of binary symbols lit before her, forming into a heroic-looking futuristic android with a streamlined black-armored body, its visor crimson red (1800/200). "Duradark, attack his monster!" The Ally Genex raised a hand and fired a destructive red beam from its palm…

"I open the Trap Card, Natural Disaster!" Masaki countered as the Trap lifted, depicting a spiky demonic being rising from a cloud. An instant later, Duradark's beam struck the strange demonic creature of red fog which appeared (0/1000), which was blown to atoms. "That was Cloudian – Poison Cloud, and if it's destroyed in battle, it takes down its destroyer with it and deals you eight-hundred points of damage!" Duradark suddenly slumped to its knees and shattered into pixels, a red aura surrounding Kelsey and making her cry out in pain.

(_Kelsey 7200LP_)

"Now for my Natural Disaster," her opponent continued. "Because one of your cards was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard by the effect of a Cloudian, you take five-hundred damage!" A focused stream of icy, chilling wind howled from the Trap and engulfed Kelsey, hurling her to the ground as she cried out.

(_Kelsey 6700LP_)

The young woman stood up, groaning slightly. "I place two cards face-down and end my turn…" The reversed cards appeared before her. _"If he attacks, I can use DNA Transplant to change his monsters' Attributes… and Elemental Absorber to negate attacks from one Attribute…" _

_**Kelsey 6700LP/Masaki 8000LP**_

"Ally Genex…" Masaki mused as he drew. "Attribute-based Machines who manipulate the elements of themselves and their foes to gain power… I wonder if your support base relies on that theme too." He glanced at his card, and Cloudian – Poison Cloud slipped from the Graveyard. "It soon won't matter. By removing one Cloudian in my Graveyard from play, I Special Summon Cloudian – Storm Dragon!" He pocketed Poison Cloud and in an explosion of chilling wind and fog, a large draconic being formed from crackling, rumbling storm clouds appeared, spreading its dark-veiling wings as four plain white eyes glared from its vague head (1000/0).

"Because that was a Special Summon, I'll Normal Summon Cloudian – Cirrostratus!" From a second blast of wind and fog, another cloud-creature appeared, this one fluffy and white, with angelic wings and a face like a kitten's, Cirrostratus giving off a soft purr as its whiskers twitched (900/0). "When Cirrostratus is Normal Summoned, it gains a Fog Counter for each Cloudian in play!" Two spheres of condensed fog appeared, orbiting the cute kitten-like Cloudian slowly (C-C: 2FC).

"Next, I'll activate Double Summon, and play Cloudian – Acid Cloud!" In a second explosion of wind and fog, another Cloudian formed, this one pale green and shaped like a heavyset man, with a dish-like cranium and a wise, old face, his legs trailing away into a thin, wispy tail (500/0). "When my Acid Cloud is Normal Summoned, it gains a Fog Counter for each Cloudian in play too!" Three more spheres of fog appeared, these orbiting Acid Cloud (C-AC: 3FC).

"What do those Fog Counters do?" Kelsey asked.

"I'll show you," Masaki smirked. "But first, I use Storm Dragon's effect, letting me place a Fog Counter on any face-up monster, and I choose Acid Cloud." The dragon opened its jaws and breathed out a sphere of mist, which floated to Acid Cloud and began to orbit the toxic-looking Cloudian lazily (C-AC: 4FC). "Now I activate Acid Cloud's effect, removing two Fog Counters from it to destroy a Spell or Trap Card." Two of the counters burst (C-AC: 2FC) and Acid Cloud breathed a stream of toxic mist which surrounded Kelsey's reversed Elemental Absorber, corroding the card to nothing.

"No!"

"And since a card was destroyed by a Cloudian's effect, Natural Disaster activates!" Masaki continued, gesturing fiercely towards her. The blast of freezing mist exploded from Natural Disaster, engulfing Kelsey and hurling her to the ground.

(_Kelsey 6200LP_)

"I use Acid Cloud's effect again!" The last two Fog Counters burst (C-AC: 0FC) and the acidic stream was unleashed again, melting away the remaining face-down card (DNA Transplant), before Natural Disaster wrapped Kelsey in a blast of chilling air.

(_Kelsey 5700LP_)

"Cloudian – Acid Cloud, direct attack!" Acid Cloud breathed the acidic mist for the third time, making Kelsey cry out in pain as it seared on her skin.

(_Kelsey 5200LP_)

"Cloudian – Cirrostratus, attack her directly!" Cirrostratus turned dark, crackling with energy, before a lightning bolt ripped from it and slammed into Kelsey, making her cry out again.

(_Kelsey 4300LP_)

"Cloudian – Storm Dragon, final direct attack!" Power crackled through Storm Dragon, before it opened its jaws and loosed a powerful bolt of lightning which smashed into Kelsey and knocked her to the ground with a shout of pain.

(_Kelsey 3300LP_)

"It's my second turn and your Life Points are already more than halved… interesting…" Masaki smiled. "I end my turn."

_**Kelsey 3300LP/Masaki 8000LP**_

"I draw!" Kelsey called, tearing a card from her Deck to bring her hand to four cards.

"I summon Armageddon Knight!" In a flare of chilling shadows, the dark warrior appeared, drawing his blade (1400/1200). "Now I use his effect, sending my Level Eater from my Deck to the Graveyard." The card slipped from her Deck and she placed it into her Graveyard. "Armageddon Knight, attack his Cloudian – Acid Cloud!"

The warrior charged and slashed through Acid Cloud with a sweep of his blade, making it burst apart, but Masaki just smiled. The shattered Cloudian instantly reformed, mist flowing back together to create a laughing Acid Cloud once more.

"Have you ever tried touching mist, or fog, or a cloud?" Masaki smiled. "You can't. Your hand goes right through. These three Cloudians I have out can't be destroyed in battle."

"But you should still have taken damage!"

"My Spirit Barrier Trap Card negates all Battle Damage I would take, as long as I have a monster in play," Masaki replied, gesturing to the now-active Trap.

"I end my turn," Kelsey muttered.

_**Kelsey 3300LP/Masaki 8000LP**_

"I draw," Masaki said. "I activate the Continuous Spell Card, Cloudian Squall." A card appeared before him, depicting numerous Cloudians soaring up into a raging black storm cloud. "We'll get to that next turn. For now, I activate the effect of my Storm Dragon, placing another Fog Counter on my Acid Cloud." Storm Dragon breathed out a Fog Counter, which began to orbit the toxic Cloudian (C-AC: 1FC). "Next, I activate the effect of Cirrostratus, removing two of its Fog Counters to destroy one monster." Kelsey's eyes widened in shock as the Fog Counters orbiting Cirrostratus burst, before a bolt of lightning ripped from the cute Cloudian, striking Armageddon Knight and shattering him into pixels, before a stream of frozen air ripped from Natural Disaster and hurled Kelsey to the ground once again.

(_Kelsey 2800LP_)

"Cloudian – Acid Cloud, direct attack!" Acid Cloud prepared to breathe its stream of toxic mist…

"I Special Summon Battle Fader from my hand, ending the Battle Phase!" Kelsey shouted, throwing a card onto her Disk. With a dark cackle, a pendulum-like Fiend with a bat's face appeared, with an arm like a blade, the other ending in a bell (0/0), and in an explosion of sonic force, the Cloudian's attack was repulsed. "I can Special Summon Battle Fader when I have no monster and you attack directly, and it instantly ends the Battle Phase."

Masaki just smiled. "So you can fight back… I end my turn."

_**Kelsey 2800LP/Masaki 8000LP**_

"My turn," Kelsey called, tearing her next card from her Deck. "I Release Battle Fader," the demonic pendulum faded into shadows, which began to expand, "to Advance Summon Ally Mind!" The shadows burst, revealing a large spherical machine with numerous cables, spikes and other implements sticking out of its casing (1800/1400).

"A Level Five Normal Monster with stats that low… you're up to something," Masaki muttered, narrowing his eyes.

"I reduce Ally Mind's Level by one to Special Summon Level Eater from the Graveyard," she continued as a shining star burst from Ally Mind (Level 4) and formed into the ladybug with the star-marked shell (600/0). "And I didn't introduce Ally Mind… it's a Tuner. I Tune my Level Four Ally Mind to my Level One Level Eater… Synchro Summon…!"

Ally Mind let out a series of clicks and beeps, shattering into four shining stars which instantly expanded into rings and encircled Level Eater. The ladybug shattered into a star, which aligned at the center of the rings and burst into a pillar of radiance…

"_When the light becomes dark, the watcher from beyond appears to purge corruption from our world! Now, count up your sins! Synchro Summon! Obliterate, Ally of Justice Catastor!" _Kelsey chanted, raising a hand.

The pillar burst as shots of darkness tore through it, revealing the Synchro Monster, a streamlined, serpentine machine of white and black armor adorned in shining gold. Four insect-like legs stretched out, ending in golden scythe-blades, and a crystalline eye gazed impassively from the golden crest of its 'face'. From the tip of its tail, a gun turret tracked over the area, focusing on the three Cloudians as Catastor hovered, a silent, yet intimidating presence (2200/1200).

"Catastor…" Masaki whispered in awed shock.

"Ally of Justice Catastor, attack Cloudian – Cirrostratus! _Platinum Prism Blast_!" Kelsey shouted, causing a bolt of power to lance from Catastor's eye and strike Cirrostratus, obliterating the Cloudian. "When Catastor battles a monster which isn't Dark-Attribute, that monster is destroyed before Damage Calculation."

"Damn it," the Cloudian duelist muttered.

"I reduce Catastor's Level by one to Special Summon Level Eater again," Kelsey called as a Level Star detached from the Synchro Monster's bright form (Level 4) and burst to reveal Level Eater (0/600). "Next, I place one card face-down and end my turn." The reversed card appeared before her.

_**Kelsey 2800LP/Masaki 8000LP**_

"I draw," Masaki said, taking his next card up. "During my Standby Phase, Cloudian Squall activates, giving every single monster in play a Fog Counter." The Cloudian Squall card glowed, causing a sphere of fog to appear beside and start to orbit Cloudian – Storm Dragon (C-SD: 1FC), Cloudian – Acid Cloud (C-AC: 2FC), Ally of Justice Catastor (AoJC: 1FC) and Level Eater (LE: 1FC).

"I play the Spell Card, Salvage." The image of a Spell appeared before him, depicting a strange fortress built atop a whale recovering a robotic drone from the sea with a crane. "Salvage lets me add two Water-Attribute monsters with fifteen-hundred or less attack points from the Graveyard to my hand!" Cloudians – Cirrostratus and Poison Cloud slipped from his Graveyard and he placed them in his hand as the image of Salvage vanished.

"Damn it," Kelsey muttered.

"I summon Cloudian – Cirrostratus once again!" Masaki called, playing the card and causing the cute kitten-like Cloudian to appear before him, mewing cutely, but glaring at Kelsey angrily (900/0). "Due to Cirrostratus's effect, it gains a Fog Counter for each Cloudian in play." Three spheres of fog coalesced into being around Cirrostratus (C-C: 3FC). "Next, I'll use Storm Dragon's effect to put a Fog Counter on Cirrostratus." The draconic Cloudian breathed out a sphere of fog, which began to orbit Cirrostratus (C-C: 4FC). "And finally, I remove two Fog Counters from Cirrostratus to destroy Ally of Justice Catastor." Two of the orbs burst and Cirrostratus began to crackle with power…

"Open, Skill Shock!" Kelsey snapped as her Trap lifted. "By Releasing one of my monsters," Level Eater burst into light which coated Cirrostratus, "that effect is negated and your monster can't use its effects or attack for the rest of the turn!" The crackling from the kitten-like Cloudian abruptly ceased even as Skill Shock faded away and Masaki muttered a curse.

"I end my turn," he muttered as the light aura faded from Cirrostratus.

_**Kelsey 2800LP/Masaki 8000LP**_

"Even with that move," the Cloudian duelist pointed out, "I still have full Life Points, while yours are still critical."

"I wouldn't say so," Kelsey replied as she drew. "I set a card face-down and end my turn." The reversed card appeared beside her.

_**Kelsey 2800LP/Masaki 8000LP**_

"I draw!" Masaki shouted, before Cloudian Squall glowed and more Fog Counters formed (C-SD: 2FC) (C-AC: 3FC) (AoJC: 2FC) (RW: 1FC).

"I summon Cloudian – Altus!" With a blast of warm air, a large, billowy Cloudian appeared, gray-gold in color, with bulky misshapen features (1300/0). "Altus gets a Fog Counter for each Cloudian in play!" Three spheres of fog appeared and orbited the massive Cloudian (C-A: 3FC). "Now I activate Cloudian – Storm Dragon's effect…!"

"And I chain the Trap, Synchro Gazer!" Kelsey called as the Trap lifted up. "Synchro Gazer lets me Release a Synchro Monster," Catastor burst into shards of light, "to switch all your monsters into defense mode and deal you two-hundred damage for each monster whose position was changed!" Masaki went pale as his monsters folded into themselves and four orbs of light tore from Synchro Gazer, blasting into him.

(_Masaki 7200LP_)

"No!" he cried. "If Cloudians try to defend…!" He was cut off by his four monsters shattering into shards.

"They're destroyed," Kelsey finished. "I know. I was just waiting for the chance to exploit that weakness, Masaki. Now I have, and your field crumbled."

"I end my turn," he muttered bitterly.

_**Kelsey 2800LP/Masaki 7200LP**_

"I draw," the young woman continued, taking up her next card. "Now I activate the Spell Card, Spellbook Inside the Pot, letting each of us draw three cards." They drew three times each, leaving them with four cards apiece.

"Next, I activate One for One, discarding Ally Genex Over-Charge to Special Summon Tuningware from my Deck," Kelsey continued, placing the monster into the Graveyard as a spark of light lit up before her and expanded into a cute little gray robot with a yellow scarf flung around its neck and a wok perched atop its head (100/300). "Next, Machine Duplication, letting me Special Summon up to two more copies of Tuningware from my Deck." Two spheres of light appeared and burst to reveal two more copies of the cute robot (100/300x2). "And finally, the Tuner monster, Ally Genex Remote!" She played the card and a small gleaming white robot appeared next to the three Tuningware, with a remote for a right arm (500/1800).

"Tuning! Level Three Ally Genex Remote, Tune with my Level One Tuningware, and two Level Two Tuningware!"

"Level Two?"

"Thanks to Tuningware's effect, when it's used as Synchro Material, I can treat it as Level Two," Kelsey explained as Ally Genex Remote split into three glowing rings, which the three Tuningware leapt into and burst into five glowing stars, the stars exploding into light which formed a radiant white pillar…

"_Riding fast through the world of speed, the masked rider storms his power through the ranks of injustice! Now, count up your sins! Synchro Summon! Accelerate, Ally Genex Accel!" _she called.

The pillar shattered apart as a white blur emerged from it, crashing down nimbly and rising to reveal a streamlined, futuristic white-armored android, with wheels for feet, a ring-like structure with attached boosters on its back and a Duel Disk-shaped device on its left arm. Accel struck a pose, light glinting off of its purple visor grimly (2600/2000).

"Due to Tuningware's second effect, for each one I used in a Synchro Summon, I can draw a card," Kelsey said, drawing three times. "Now, Ally Genex Accel, attack him directly! _Dynamic Ace_!" Accel tore forwards as a blur of motion, striking Masaki with a spinning kick that knocked the Cloudian duelist down to the ground, even as the Synchro Monster leapt back to its master's side.

(_Masaki 4600LP_)

"I place two cards face-down and end my turn," the young woman finished, sliding two of the three cards in her hand into her Disk. They appeared behind Ally Genex Accel in flashes of bright light.

_**Kelsey 2800LP/Masaki 4600LP**_

"I draw," Masaki said, bringing his hand to five cards, before Cloudian Squall glowed and a Fog Counter appeared, orbiting Ally Genex Accel (AGA: 1FC). "Now, I remove from play Cloudian – Acid Cloud in my Graveyard," he pocketed the card, "to Special Summon another Cloudian – Storm Dragon!" With a roar, the cloud dragon burst into being, crackling with energy (1000/0).

"Next, I'll use Storm Dragon's effect to put a Fog Counter on your Ally Genex Accel!" Storm Dragon breathed an orb of fog, which began to orbit Accel alongside the first Fog Counter (AGA: 2FC). "I remove Cloudian – Altus in my Graveyard from play and Special Summon Aqua Spirit!" He pocketed the card and in a torrent of water, a beautiful green-skinned young woman clad in a pale blue dress formed before him (1600/1200). "Finally, I Release Storm Dragon and Aqua Spirit to Advance Summon _Cloudian – Nimbusman_!"

The two monsters burst into mist, which coalesced into the towering form of a bulky, dark form of a gigantic Cloudian, its fierce violet eyes glaring down as it gave a mighty roar… (1000/1000)

"Cloudian – Nimbusman gains a Fog Counter for each Water monster I Release to summon it," Masaki smiled as two orbs of fog began to orbit his titanic monster (C-N: 2FC), "and it gains five-hundred points for each Fog Counter in play!" A stormy glow began to surround Nimbusman as it roared again (3000/1000). "Cloudian – Nimbusman, attack Ally Genex Accel!" Nimbusman drew back a fist…

"I activate the effect of Ally Genex Over-Charge in my Graveyard, removing it from play to give Accel eight-hundred more points," Kelsey called, pocketing the card as Accel began to glow (3400/2000), "and I chain Synchro Sonic to that effect, letting me destroy a face-up Spell or Trap for each Synchro in play!" The card lifted and a wave of energy ripped from Accel even as it burst forwards, slicing through the Spirit Barrier card and shattering it into pixels before the Synchro leapt up, spinning in mid-air to deliver a kick to meet Nimbusman's punch, the resulting shockwave distorting the titanic Cloudian and hurling it back as Masaki was sent skidding back by the recoil.

(_Masaki 4200LP_)

Accel landed neatly back before Kelsey, falling back into a battle-ready stance as Cloudian – Nimbusman rose back up threateningly, crackling as lightning flashed through its body. Accel stopped glowing (2600/2000).

"I end my turn," Masaki muttered, glancing over his hand. _"Next turn Cloudian Squall will put Fog Counters on Nimbusman and Accel, giving Nimbusman another thousand points. Then I just have to summon Poison Cloud and Release it to play Fog Control, giving Nimbusman another three Fog Counters_ _and a total of fifty-five hundred points, enough to attack for game…"_

_**Kelsey 2800LP/Masaki 4200LP**_

"I draw," Kelsey said, taking the next card in hand. "I activate my Accel's effect, tossing a card," she placed De-Synchro into the Graveyard, "to revive a Level Four or lower Machine from my Graveyard with its points doubled." Accel reached down and pulled upwards dramatically, ripping Ally Genex Duradark out of the earth, the android landing heavily and rising to its feet as power glowed around its form (1800/200 - 3600/200). "However, a monster summoned with that effect can't attack directly and is removed from play in the End Phase."

"Since Nimbusman can't be destroyed in battle, how're you planning to win this?" Masaki asked, smiling slightly. Kelsey just smiled in answer and slowly slid the last card in her hand into her Disk's Graveyard slot.

"By discarding Ally Genex Chemistry," she explained, "I can declare an Attribute and have one Genex monster I have out become that Attribute. So I'll change Duradark to a Water monster, the same as your Nimbusman." A cold blue aura surrounded Ally Genex Duradark, the robot striking a pose. "And now, I activate Duradark's effect, I can skip its attack to automatically destroy one of your monsters, as long as that monster is in attack mode and has the same Attribute as Duradark. _Element Destructor_!" Duradark raised a hand and a sphere of coruscating blue energy formed in its grip, before shooting into Nimbusman and detonating in a blast of aqua-blue light. When the explosion faded, all that remained were stray pixels falling and winking from existence as Duradark's hand fell back to its side.

"You still can't win… if Duradark can't attack, you can't cause enough…" Masaki began, before Kelsey's last face-down lifted up, "damage…"

"I activate Synchro Strike, giving Accel five-hundred more points for each of its Synchro Materials!" she called as Ally Genex Accel glowed with fiery red energy (4600/2000). "Ally Genex Accel, attack directly and finish this Duel with _Dynamic Ace_!" Accel burst forwards, swathed in power, and struck Masaki in a blur of white and red that knocked the young man to the ground and was gone as the Solid Vision cut out, taking Ally Genex Duradark and Synchro Strike with it…

_**Kelsey 2800LP/Masaki 0LP**_

Masaki stood with a look of disappointment, as Kurumizawa clapped softly and Ally Genex Accel faded away. The stout shopkeeper glanced at Kelsey, who stood and looked at Masaki for a moment.

"That was a good Duel," she finally said. "You had me on the ropes, there." The Cloudian duelist looked up at her, the disappointment still clear, but he smiled slightly. "There's a card you want from that booster, isn't there?"

"Cloudian – Supercell," he said. "It's the newest trump card for the Cloudians and it's only in that set… if I had it, it would really boost my Fog Counter strategy…" He glanced at the Cloudian – Nimbusman card in his Graveyard.

Kelsey considered for a moment. "Tell you what… if I get lucky and find that card, I'll give it to you."

"Really?" he exclaimed.

"Consider it thanks for such a great game," she smiled, turning to Kurumizawa. "How about getting that booster pack?" The shopkeeper nodded, moving back into his store with the two duelists following, Kelsey plucking the Titans of Legend pack from the rack and placing it onto the counter, taking a yen note from her purse and passing it to Kurumizawa, who handed her some change.

She took the booster pack in hand; Masaki watching eagerly as she slowly opened it and pulled the five cards from inside, fanning them out. Her eyes scanned across them, taking in each name, and she slowly shook her head, Cloudian – Supercell wasn't there. She revealed the five to Masaki, Atomic Scrap Dragon, Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman, Dragunity Knight Barcha, Eviritua Soul Ogre and Vennominaga the Deity of Poisonous Snakes. The Cloudian duelist looked disappointed, but then smiled slightly.

"I guess that's just the risk of using boosters," he said. "You get what you want or you don't… it's a gamble each time. Then again… that's part of the fun." He shrugged. "I'll just keep looking until I find that card… and then, how about a rematch?"

"You're on," Kelsey smiled in return…

SS08

_**Card Stats:**_

_**Monsters:**_

Gemknight Rumarin  
EARTH/ Thunder /Level 4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1800  
_He creates mystic energy from Yellow Tourmaline and changes it to power. Many Gems sympathize with his way of life._

SS08

Gemknight Sapphia  
EARTH/ Aqua /Level 4/ATK: 0/DEF: 2100  
_He controls water at his will with the sapphires power and protects him from enemy attacks. His silent protection is trusted by his comrades._

SS08

Gemknight Paz  
EARTH/ Thunder/Fusion/Effect /Level 6/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1800  
'Gemknight Rumarin' + 1 'Gemknight' monster  
This card cannot be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck except by Fusion Summon with the above Fusion Material Monsters. This card can attack twice during the same Battle Phase. When this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to your opponent equal to that monster's ATK.

(The Gemknights were released in Duel Terminals – Vairon Descends and Judgment of Omega, as well as the announced Exceed Startup.)

SS08

Ally Genex Remote  
DARK/ Machine/Tuner /Level 3/ATK: 500/DEF: 1800  
Once per turn, you can select 1 face-up Tuner monster on the field. That monster's name is treated as "Genex Controller", until the End Phase.

SS08

Ally Genex Chemistry  
DARK/ Machine/Tuner /Level 2/ATK: 200/DEF: 500  
During either player's turn, you can discard this card and declare 1 Attribute to select 1 face-up "Genex" monster you control. That monster's Attribute becomes the declared Attribute.

(The Ally Genex monsters were released in Charge of the Genex and Pulse of the Trishula in the OCG. A TCG release for the above two cards is currently unknown, but they will probably be in Hidden Arsenal 4 later this year.)

SS08

_**Spells:**_

Gemknight Fusion  
Normal Spell Card  
Image: Two knight-like figures swirling together in a vortex of shining gemstones.  
Send, from your hand or side of the field to your Graveyard, Fusion Material Monsters listed on a "Gemknight" Fusion Monster Card, and Special Summon that monster from your Extra Deck. (This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon.) If this card is in your Graveyard, you can remove from play 1 "Gemknight" monster from your Graveyard to add this card to your hand.

(Gemknight Fusion was released in Duel Terminal – Vairon Descends in the OCG. A TCG release for it is unknown.)

SS08

_**Traps:**_

Gem Barricade  
Normal Trap Card

Image: Gemknight Sapphia standing firm against a barrier of crystal, holding back an attack from Archfiend Soldier.  
Activate only when a 'Gemknight' monster you control is declared an attack target. That monster cannot be destroyed in battle and you take no Battle Damage from battles involving that monster until the End Phase. During the turn this card and a 'Gemknight' monster you controlled were destroyed, you can remove this card in your Graveyard from play to negate an opponent's monster's attack.

(Gem Barricade is my own invention and creative credit for it goes to me.)

SS08

Skill Shock  
Counter Trap Card  
Image: Sasuke Samurai with bolts of lightning flashing around him.  
Activate when an opposing Monster activates an effect. Tribute one Monster you control. Negate the activation of the effect. The opposing Monster cannot use any effects or attack this turn.

(Skill Shock was first used by Judai in the GX episode 'Judai VS Asuka: Face-down Card of Hidden Emotions'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of GX.)

SS08

Synchro Gazer  
Normal Trap Card  
Image: Junk Warrior rocketing upwards with its fist raised, surrounded by an aura of burning energy.  
Tribute 1 Synchro Monster. Change all monsters your opponent controls to Defense Position, and inflict 200 damage to your opponent for each monster changed to Defense Position this way.

(Synchro Gazer was first used by Yusei in the 5D's manga Ride 'The Settlement with Darkness'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of the 5D's manga.)

SS08

Synchro Sonic  
Normal Trap Card  
Image: Two demonic monsters hurling blades of azure energy forwards.  
Destroy face-up Spell/Trap Cards on the field up to the number of face-up Synchro Monsters you control.

(Synchro Sonic was first used by Jack in the 5D's episode 'An Intense Fight! Machine Emperor Wisel'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS08

_**Featured Card:**_

_Cloudian – Storm Dragon, Ally of Justice Catastor, Ally Genex Accel, Natural Disaster, One for One_

Today's Featured Card is **Ally of Justice Catastor**, a powerful Synchro Monster with a very useful destructive effect. Due to its ability to instantly destroy any non-DARK monster it battles, Catastor can easily overcome powerful monsters like Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Machina Force and Judgment Dragon. Despite the variety of powerful DARK monsters like Five God Dragon, Catastor can still beat these monsters with the help of Attribute-change cards like DNA Transplant and Scroll of Bewitchment.

SS08

Next time, it's a return to the World of Speed as Drago faces up to a D-Wheeler with an affinity for the wind. With the Evil Heroes on his side, can he defeat his newest opponent's monsters when they take to the skies as knights?

So it's Chapter Nine – Summon Storm!


	9. Chapter 9: Summon Storm

(Author's Note: I owe a lot of people an apology, it seems. I'd like to make that apology now, so that ill feelings aren't held for even longer. I fully apologize to everyone who felt offended by Mitsuru's attitude towards the American nation and its citizens. I would at this point also like to remind everyone that the views expressed by characters in this fanfic, or any other, are not necessarily my own. I do not hate America as strongly as Mitsuru, indeed, many of my better friends on the internet are American. I do disagree with American foreign policy, but I do not hate the nation.

I intended for Mitsuru to come across as biased. I think I may have pushed his views too strongly, which I apologize for, and I will tone down the hate towards America in future. That's all for now.)

_**Chapter 9 – Summon Storm**_

The night crept up on Neo Domino, the sun passing below the horizon and leaving orange and purple traces upon the sky. The skyscrapers of the city were set ablaze by the light, glass and steel shining vibrant orange into the sky.

Standing on a balcony of a skyscraper overlooking the expanse of the Neo Domino skyline, Julian lent out, resting his arms on the railings as he gazed over the city towards the sea, where the sun bounced its light back into the skies. His Duel Disk was on his arm, deactivated.

"Are you still out there?" he murmured, recalling a baleful red eye glaring death at him from behind a visor. "Black Flare..." He closed his eyes, remembering that dragon, that fiery terror... Flamvell Nidhogg. He slipped his Deck from the Disk and fanned it, staring over his own Flamvells. Was that destructive force in his Deck as well?

But then his musings turned from his Deck, and he returned it to its holder, staring down into the streets from his lofty perch in the Tops.

"_My actions are righteous! I act to help this city!"_

His words echoed, a cry of defiance against Julian's opinions, and the young man renounced them. Black Flare was just a criminal, he tore through his opponents mercilessly and left the carrion for Security to pick up behind him. He wasn't a righteous champion of justice, he was a predator who left his prey for dead.

"_What have you done to that card?"_

What had happened to the card? Why had it vanished after he and Black Flare had held it at the same time? And why had holding it made him feel like he was burning... but burning in a good way? Like he could just burn down the world... what was Flamvell Nidhogg?

"Julian?" He glanced backwards to see Kelsey as she emerged from the apartment behind him, stopping next to him and leaning onto the railing. "You look kind of... lost."

"I am," he replied, turning his gaze back out towards the ocean. "I just don't know, Kelsey... about any of it, Taiga, Kengo, Black Flare, Flamvell Nidhogg... I don't know anything!" He clenched a fist tightly, clearly enraged by the idea. "I thought... I just thought he'd be normal. A Psychic Duelist... I can understand Psychic Duelists. But he's not, and I don't know what he is." He bowed his head, letting the fist unclench.

"It's not your fault he got away," she pointed out. "It was those others... they were the ones who stopped you getting to him." She laid a hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "You'll get Black Flare eventually."

"That's just it... eventually," he murmured. "Now I know he has this..." he struggled to find a word, "gift, I can't risk leaving him loose. It's worse than I thought it was... and who knows what those others want?" He paused. "That girl... Kisara... she knows about them." He turned away, pulling off of the railings. "If I can find her, maybe I can get to the bottom of all this... and then whatever's going on... I can stop it." He paused from stepping back towards the apartment, feeling her eyes on his back.

"Why do you act like this is just for you to stop?"

"Because he got away... and he's like me," Julian replied. "He thinks he's doing the right thing... I know that I'm doing the right thing."

"How? How can you tell that you're doing the right thing, Julian?" Kelsey asked. "Maybe Black Flare 'knows' that he's doing the right thing, and that you're wrong." She paused to let the words sink in. "Maybe in his eyes, what he's doing is right."

"_My actions are righteous! I act to help this city!"_

The words echoed again, Black Flare's voice filled with hate and anger, a passionate declaration of what the man considered truth. But if his actions were righteous, why had everyone encountering him wound up in the hospital? His '_justice'_ was indiscriminate, no matter the crime, the punishment was a brutal, savage attack. He had to be stopped.

It was at this point that Julian realized Kelsey was still waiting for an answer. "Maybe in his eyes he's doing the right thing, but can anyone really find right and wrong on their own?"

"What if he's doing this for a personal reason? What if there's someone he's fighting for, Julian? Wouldn't you be just as zealous... just as fierce if that was your motivation?" He had started to walk away again, but the words struck hard and he stopped as though he had hit a wall.

"_A personal reason...?" _he wondered. _"Could that be... no! No matter how personal... no reason can justify what he does!" _Julian had to fight the urge to shout down Kelsey's proposal. He might have resented the idea, but she didn't deserve that.

"Maybe..." he finally said. "It could be that, I suppose... but it doesn't matter. No matter why he fights, we still have to stop him." And with that, he was gone, leaving Kelsey leaning back against the railing, a soft sigh passing her lips...

SS09

The crowds milled past below him, unaware of the presence above them, yet feeling the chill shadows watching them, and so they hurried onwards.

Taiga sat on the edge of the rooftop and gazed down, regarding the people with plain amusement on his face. His right hand held a Deck, but strangely not the Deck which was held in his Disk. He fanned the cards, gazing over them.

"If she's here, then it's time to make our amends," he smiled to the cards. They stared back, a variety of demonic entities which glared chillingly into his eyes from the images on the cards.

"Taiga." The Vessel of Darkness started slightly, glancing back to see Mitsuru. The victor of the day's event stood resolute, framed against the sunset-marred skies as he regarded the young man before him.

"What do you want, Mitsuru?" the dark-clad man asked, adjusting the angle of his fedora to cover his dark eye again.

"That girl... the one you met last night." Taiga stiffened. "Who is she?"

"Kengo's been talking, hasn't he?"

"That doesn't matter," the Gemknight user dismissed. "If you're keeping secrets about a potential threat..."

"She's no threat, Mitsuru. Just a scared girl, like she was back then..." He heaved himself back up, standing and facing his counterpart with a cold gaze. Memories twisted and swirled in his head, a scream, a fire, a shadow amidst the blaze...

"Perhaps we should deal with her, for safety's sake." In an instant, Taiga had moved and grabbed his fellow by the collar.

"No," he hissed. "She's no threat, and we don't need to do anything, Mitsuru. Clear?" The brown-eyed man nodded, and for an instant the light flashed in his pupils and revealed that one was darker and harder than the other, like stone compared to the soft wooden shade of the other eye. Taiga released him slowly, and stepped back.

"Clear," he replied. "Who is she?" Taiga turned away, regarding the sunset, watching the sun die. Again the memories came.

"A memory," he finally replied. "A relic from what I was before I found the darkness." He slipped the Deck of demons back into a case on his belt, and opened the Extra Deck slot on his Disk, revealing a pair of Synchro Monster cards. He took the first of these from the slot, gazing at it. "She's just a memory which won't go away, Mitsuru. That's all."

"_Lies."_

"Is that the truth?" Mitsuru's voice was wary and careful; he had seen how touchy Taiga was about this subject. "If so, why didn't you kill her last night when you had a chance?" Taiga whirled around, glaring death at him, as Mitsuru had suspected there was more to this.

"There was no need," he retorted. "Why should I waste the power I've been given on killing one insignificant person, no matter who they might be?"

"_Why kill someone you care about?"_

"Perhaps," the other young man replied carefully. "But if this comes back to bite us later," he turned away, "I'm sure you'll get your fair reward for sparing her." He took a step.

"She's no problem," Taiga snapped. "Why don't you go and pester someone else? Or go flirt with the fan-girls you won today?"

"_You just don't want to hear what you know is true... your mercy will be what costs us everything!"_

"I'm sure Yamato Orimoto will keep the fan-girls, actually," Mitsuru replied coldly. "That duel was a farce to begin with." He started to walk away. "Enjoy yourself, Taiga. It's almost at an end."

"I'd say it's just beginning," the Vessel of Darkness replied with a smile...

SS09

As the sun crept below the horizon, the streets of Neo Domino were cast into deep shadow. Amidst the shadows, Drago rode, a king at home in his own element. He slowly ran his D-Wheel through the streets, regarding the area around him, head encased in his demonic helmet. Music echoed through the street, a loud rock beat which the young man vaguely recognized from an anime he used to watch.

His usual buzz-saw-esque Duel Disk was nowhere to be seen, instead a more standard Disk occupied the space on the console. This model of D-Wheel was not a hybrid, because as Drago had long-since realized, a Duel Disk with buzz-saw card panel was not especially practical for use on such a cramped space. A regular Disk could pretty much barely fit, his normal Duel Disk would have no chance.

As the Evil Hero-user rode slowly through the streets, he relaxed. Neo Domino was peaceful, compared to the previous night and its shocking events, Black Flare's confrontation, the revelation of those strange others who claimed he was one of them, that girl who had manifested her cards as reality... there was something happening, and as a Yuki, he should have known he would be involved. After all, his grandfather had been practically a magnet for strangeness, it was only expected that his descendants would inherit that...

But still... if Taiga was just the beginning... then what lay ahead? He hadn't been pushed so hard since...

"_Since... Hiro..."_

He narrowed his eyes slightly as he took a corner, emerging into a golden, sun-bathed street and the memories swirled.

"_Evil Hero Lightning Golem, use your effect! Destroy his Absolute Zero with Voltic Ball!" A hulking juggernaut of a monster, with jagged lightning bolt-like protrusions jutting out from its armor and a dark visor covering its face, hurled out a hand and a sphere of crackling darkness erupted from the ruby set into its hand, shooting towards a white-armored hero with jagged shoulder-plates and a billowing white cape..._

"_Try harder, Drago! I activate Con__strec Element, letting me switch out Absolute Zero for another Elemental Hero Fusion monster that's the same Level from my Extra Deck!" Absolute Zero flickered away in a flash of white that turned to gold as a silver-armored hero shining with solar radianc__e descended, eight spikes arranged behind it like solar rays (__2600__/2100). "With Absolute Zero gone, your Lightning Golem loses its effect target!" The sphere of crackling darkness faded away. "Then, since Absolute Zero left the field, all of your monsters __are destroyed!" Lightning Golem was suddenly flash-frozen solid, shattering into shards as the younger Drago looked on in shock._

_His opponent smiled. "My Elemental Hero The Shining gains three-hundred attack points for each Elemental Hero I have removed f__rom play, so with the two from my Miracle Fusion for Absolute Zero, and the two for Hero Solidarity, The Shining gains twelve-hundred points!" The Shining glowed with a powerful light... (__3800__/2100)_

"_No... I can't beat The Shining with Malicious Fiend!" The younger Drago's eyes darkened as he stared down at the Dark Calling card in his hand, thinking that hopeless thought..._

He snapped out of the past, gazing down the Neo Domino streets before turning off into a shadow-clad side-street. Maybe Taiga had been a challenge, but he had still been beaten, unlike...

His thoughts trailed off into nothingness as he let them go. That opponent was long-gone, left behind before the path he had chosen to walk, the path of justice. While his former opponent now walked the road through the sunlight of fame, Drago chose to tread the road of dark justice. That was the difference between them, and the divide which had broken their lives from one another.

But did he regret that? In a way... yes... and no. He had lost his family, but he still felt them with him, feeling that by bringing justice, he was only living up to the heights set by his grandfather. That, in a way, by purging the darkness from Neo Domino's streets, he was doing what was his destiny to do. No matter how ironic the idea might have been, he still embraced it, because by doing still he felt he hadn't abandoned his parents, his brother and his sister.

He continued tracing his way through Neo Domino, just wandering aimlessly until he noticed a landmark and turned to it, taking in the bar. He made a habit of going to seedier, darker bars throughout Neo Domino, if only for the clientele. It was worth it for the information he could pick up, information which even the informants Julian laid his own trust in couldn't always get. Bringing his D-Wheel to a halt in the small parking lot, he dismounted it, tugging off his helmet and slinging it into a compartment behind the seat as he removed his Deck from a box at his belt and glanced around. Seeing no-one, he raised his arm and shadows swirled, forming into his Duel Disk, into which he placed the Deck. Finally, he shut down the D-Wheel, causing the security system to lock and activate as he strode away, looking for all the world as though he were a knight clad in a demon's armored hide.

If he'd been aware of that amusing note, he'd probably have chuckled at the thematic appropriateness of it. But he was not as he pushed open the doors into the bar, taking in the garish neon sign flashing above it with a flicker of distaste across his eyes.

He emerged from the doorway into a smoky, dully-lit room. Men and women lounged on bar stools and couches, draining glasses of alcohol while chattering idly to one another. A group of riding-suit-clad young men occupied a corner, joking to one another as their arms wrapped possessively around the token young women they had gathered with tough looks and tall talk. The bartender noticed the new arrival and hastened over to the appropriate side of the counter, sliding drinks to patrons as he did so. Drago pulled up a stool and sat on it, laying his folded arms on the bar.

"Drago," he nodded. "What brings you here?"

"Nothing, really," he replied. "I'm just looking for someone... a young woman with crimson eyes and pale white hair, wearing a black coat over a loose shirt and leggings. From what little of her cards I saw, I think she runs Six Samurai." The bartender pursued his lips and gave a slight whistle.

"You sure don't ask for much, do you? Six Samurai are a top level Deck, what makes you think this 'young woman's still down here?"

"She looked like she was hounded... being chased," Drago commented. "I think she's hiding out from someone." He recalled the look in that young woman's eyes when she had faced Taiga.

"Even so, I haven't heard about her. I can keep my eyes and ears open if you want though."

"Thanks... I appreciate that," the Evil Hero-user replied softly.

"What's so special about her, anyway?"

"I don't know," Drago muttered, unfolding his arms and resting his elbows on the bar, fingertips lightly touching. "That's part of the problem." He glanced around the bar slowly, taking in the other patrons, ensuring they weren't being overheard or watched. Everyone else seemed very much uninterested in the dark-clad young man talking with the bartender so he continued. "I don't know who she is or why she's important, I just know that somehow she is important and she knows more about what's going on than I do."

"And what is going on?"

"I don't know that either, just that she's involved... somehow," he admitted, casting his gaze downwards to the top of the bar. The bartender was about to respond, when a shout from the other end of the bar drew his attention.

"I've gotta go," he said. "Feel free to hang around and think things over." With that, he bustled away, leaving Drago staring at the wood of the bar-top. The young man thought, contemplating the Vessels, Flamvell Nidhogg and the mysterious Kisara... the three points swirled around his head, puzzling and confusing him. Who was Black Flare and how was he connected to the Vessels? What was Kisara's connection to Taiga? What were the Vessels planning? There were too many questions and no answers in sight..

His train of thought was broken short by the sound of the door behind him opening and footsteps resounding. The fact that for some reason the rest of the bar fell practically silent led him to turn and see just who had come into the place.

She drifted in, clad in a pale white shirt and knee-length black skirt, lines of icy-blue running across the shirt to create intricate patterns. Her soft, pale white hair cascaded down her neck and onto her shoulders, the strands tossed slightly by the breeze before the door closed behind her, a curtain of white obscuring one of her eyes from view, the other a warm shade of blue. The young woman smiled, leaving everyone dumbstruck as they looked at her, and calmly slid onto a bar stool two places down from Drago. The noise slowly returned, but the chatter had one definite subject – the young woman.

Drago remained silent. He could feel chills running up and down his spine, something had changed the instant she had entered the bar. He laid a hand on the bar-top, and found it colder than he remembered. Something was definitely wrong. The young woman glanced at him and he looked away, gazing at the wall until he felt her stare leave him and glanced back to see her regarding the group of D-Wheelers in the corner, who eyed her back and chuckled to one another. A stab of disgust ran through Drago at that.

A tense situation developed and endured for about three minutes, in which Drago sat, warily regarding the young woman. The D-Wheelers kept their eyes on her too, but there were distinct looks of desire in their eyes which showed that they didn't sense the same things Drago did. The Evil Hero-user shook his head slightly, something was going to happen.

Finally, one of the D-Wheelers stood up. He was a tall, arrogant-looking young man, wearing a blue, white-trimmed riding suit. On his arm was a Duel Disk with the same pale blue and white colors, and his long dark brown hair flowed over his neck as he took a step, only to have one of his fellows stop him with a hand to the shoulder. Brief, quiet words were exchanged, before the blue-clad D-Wheeler tugged free and crossed the room.

Drago stood up, regarding the man carefully as he approached the young woman. Brown eyes flashed to golden as the duelist looked on.

"Hello there," the D-Wheeler smiled, turning up the charm. "You look beautiful today." The white-haired young woman glanced at him, still keeping one eye hidden behind her hair. "Why don't you come over with me and the others?" She regarded him with a somewhat chill look.

"No, thank you," she replied.

"Aw, come on... a pretty face like you should have some company..."

"I'd rather not."

"Come on..." he said, somewhat teasingly. "Please, for me..." A dangerous chill settled in the young woman's eye...

"Haven't you gotten the message?" The D-Wheeler turned and glared at Drago as the Evil Hero-user stepped up. "She's not interested. Leave her alone."

"And who do you think you are?" the other young man replied, smirking.

"Call me Drago," the dark-clad young man answered. "Why don't you go back to your seat and get another drink?" His golden eyes glared compulsion at his counterpart, but the D-Wheeler laughed.

"What, and leave her for you? I see your game. Get me gone, then go straight to work."

"No... I'm not interested," Drago retorted.

"Sure you aren't," the D-Wheeler replied, smirking even more as a spark danced in his eyes. "Then why don't you leave us alone in peace?" Drago gritted his teeth. Why couldn't this idiot just listen and go? Otherwise, he could tell things were going to turn ugly.

The young woman just seemed completely uninterested with the two young men apparently arguing over her, just sipping lightly at whatever it was she had ordered.

"Because clearly she doesn't want to be left alone with you." Drago's fingers were just itching to clench into a tight fist and sock the D-Wheeler with a punch to the jaw, but he forced that urge down. Violence wouldn't do anything other than get them all thrown out and Security called.

"She'll come around." The D-Wheeler smirked even more.

"I doubt it." Drago's expression was grim by comparison. "I think... what's your name?" He glanced down at the young woman.

"Akina," she replied softly, but coldly.

"I think Akina isn't interested, and she's made that clear," the Evil Hero-user finished. "So why don't you go back with your friends, sit down and have a drink?" Again compulsion accompanied the words, but again the D-Wheeler shrugged it off.

"What's your problem? Why don't _you _go and sit down, and stop interfering?" he pointed out. "I don't want any trouble, but you're digging yourself a hole."

Drago sighed. "_I'm_ digging a hole? Akina here made it clear to you she isn't interested."

"For now," the other young man said, smiling brightly at the young woman, who just kept sipping her drink, but Drago could see her other hand, which hung down clenched into a trembling fist, clearly the D-Wheeler was irritating her. He could already feel the air temperature dropping.

"Fine," he muttered, raising his arm to bare his Disk. "Why don't we Duel? If I win, you leave Akina alone. If you win, I'll go back to my seat and leave you to it." The D-Wheeler gave a crooked smirk.

"Make it a Riding Duel and you have a deal."

"Alright... I'll play this your way, then," Drago retorted. "Let's go." He turned and strode out, the other D-Wheeler following him. Behind them, the group of D-Wheelers in the corner stood and followed, clearly wanting to see how this went.

Akina sat at the bar, still sipping her drink, eye sparkling. "Interesting..."

SS09

Drago slid his Duel Disk into a compartment within his D-Wheeler, placing the Deck back into its box on his belt before mounting the machine. Nearby his opponent was mounting his own D-Wheel, an emerald green, blue-trimmed model with a draconic theme, wing-like fins cutting out gracefully to either side of the back.

Both D-Wheelers placed their Riding Decks into place and started their engines, Drago's opponent smiling as his fellows clapped him on the back. The two moved, taking up a position on the road.

"We'll use this block as the course," Drago decided.

"Fine with me," the other D-Wheeler smirked confidently. "Get ready to sit and watch me win that girl." Drago sighed again and just tapped his console as his opponent chuckled and did the same. "My name's Saito. Make sure you remember it."

"_Duel Mode, engaged. F__ield Spell Card, Speed World, active. Autopilot, online. Riding Duel," _the computer chimed as both consoles transformed, Duel fields forming on them as the card panels of the D-Wheels slid into position and glowed with rainbow Momentum light, the purple aura of Speed World enveloping the streets around them and painting the sky with darkness.

"_Set," _The two D-Wheelers took up five cards each.

"_On!"_

"Riding Duel, acceleration!" the two D-Wheelers shouted as one, racing off down the street.

_**Drago 8000LP 0SPC/Saito 8000LP 0SPC**_

"The challenged first!" Saito snapped, drawing once to give himself six cards. "I place one card face-down," a reverse Spell/Trap appeared, "and place out a monster in defense!" A reversed defensive monster appeared before him. "Turn end!"

_**Drago 8000LP 0SPC/Saito 8000LP 0SPC**_

"Draw," Drago called as they accelerated (_Drago 1SPC_) (_Saito 1SPC_). He grimaced as he skimmed his hand.

"I summon The Light – Hex-Sealed Fusion!" A sphere of shimmering light descended and coalesced into a spherical creation made from an ugly meld of golden flesh from many creatures, beams of white light shining through the cracks in the patchwork (1000/1600).

Next, I place one card face-down," the card appeared, "and The Light attacks your monster!" Spears of light formed around the Hex-Sealed Fusion and shot forwards, impaling Saito's monster, a long, lithe purple dragon coated in bright golden armor (1200/800). The monster was shattered, leaving the spears to break into shards.

Regardless, Saito smiled. "I activate Soul Rope! By paying one-thousand Life Points, I can Special Summon a Level Four or lower monster from my Deck, like Dragunity Tribus!" In a flash of whirling gusts, a grim-looking bird-man with white angelic wings formed, drawing feather-like daggers from his belt (500/300).

(_Saito 7000LP)_

"Next, since Tribus was Special Summoned, I can send a Level Three or lower Dragon from my Deck to the Graveyard!" Dragunity Partisan slipped from his Deck and he placed it into his Graveyard.

"I end my turn," Drago concluded.

_**Drago 8000LP 1SPC/Saito 7000LP 1SPC**_

"I draw," Saito declared (_Drago 2SPC_) (_Saito 2SPC_). "I summon Dragunity Dux!" A whirling cyclone screamed up beside him, shattering to reveal another bird-man, this one half-hawk with large metallic wings, clad in light Roman-style armor and wielding a baton adorned with white ribbons (1500/1000). "Because I Normal Summoned Dux, I can Equip him with a Level Three or less Dragunity Dragon from my Graveyard, like my Partisan!" Dux raised his free hand, and a golden short-sword with a purple dragon-shaped hilt appeared in it, glowing with light.

"And what does that do?" Drago asked. He knew that the Dragon-Type Dragunities had effects which mostly only worked when they happened to be equipped.

"Right now, that's not relevant," his opponent replied. "But Dux gains two-hundred points for each Dragunity card on my field!" Dux began to glow with an emerald aura (2100/1000).

"Damn..."

"Dragunity Dux, attack his Hex-Sealed Fusion!" Dux raced forwards as a streak of white and black, slashing with the golden Partisan-sword and cleaving The Light – Hex-Sealed Fusion in twain. The strange homunculus shone brightly for an instant before shattering, then the sword ripped across Drago.

(_Drago 6900LP 1SPC_)

"Dragunity Tribus, direct attack!" Tribus rushed to Drago as Dux retreated, slashing with his daggers across the young man twice before leaping away.

(_Drago 6600LP 1SPC_)

"Now I end my Battle Phase," Saito smiled, "and use Partisan's effect, which makes Dux a Tuner!" Drago's eyes widened. "I Tune my Level Four Dragunity Dux to my Level One Dragunity Tribus!" Dux held his sword aloft and closed his eyes before bursting into four stars. The stars shone brightly, expanding into rings, and Tribus leapt back into them, fading into light and becoming a single star that was held at the heart of the rings. Emerald light burst from the skies and crashed down, forming a radiant pillar through the rings and engulfing the star...

"_The raging tempests howling through the heavens carry a warrior to his true battles! Let the heart of the winds give you courage among the fires of war! Synchro Summon! Descend, Vortex the Whirlwind!"_

The emerald pillar was ripped apart by a screaming burst of wind like a cyclone as the monster was revealed, a brown-feathered owl-man with an emerald mask coating his face. Vortex's wings spread as he shrieked, clenching clawed hands around the blade-tipped chain he wielded, the monster's fiery orange eyes glaring down at Drago from above (2100/700).

"I end my turn with a face-down," Saito concluded, leaving Drago staring up at Vortex as the reverse card appeared.

_**Drago 6600LP 1SPC/Saito 7000LP 2SPC**_

Drago drew silently, scanning his hand (_Drago 2SPC_) (_Saito 3SPC_).

"Because you control a Synchro Monster," he said, "I can Special Summon Mirror Resonator from my hand." He played the card and a monster resembling the King's Dark Resonator appeared, a small jester-like Fiend wielding a drumstick and tuning fork. Attached to its back was a colossal purple-rimmed mirror, crowned by demonic wings (0/0). "Mirror Resonator's Level becomes equal to the Level of one of your Synchro Monsters, like Vortex the Whirlwind!" An image of Vortex the Whirlwind appeared in the Resonator's mirror, causing the monster to glow (Level 5).

"Next, I summon Synchro Fusionist." The second card was played, causing the shadows alongside Drago's D-Wheel to flow up and form into a bright orange, demonic creature with mad green eyes (800/600). "Finally, I Tune my Level Five Mirror Resonator to my Level Two Synchro Fusionist! Synchro Summon!"

Mirror Resonator cackled, striking its tuning fork with its drumstick. The fork resonated and vibrated, shattering the Tuner into five shining stars that turned dark as they encircled Synchro Fusionist and formed rings, shattering the demon in a violent burst of shadow. Two stars shone from the shadows, before darkness burst from the earth and consumed the Synchro Summon...

"_Sometimes for justice to reach its rightful victory, mercy must be put aside. Dark hearts, hardened hearts, show yourself in the form of a king whose thirst for justice is all that matters! Synchro Summon! Cut them down, Chaos King Archfiend!"_

The darkness fractured and burst, releasing a slender, demonic form, clad in dark blue armor over mauve cloth. A bone-white mask covered its face, dark smoke billowing out like a mane around its invisible skull, and its arms flexed, revealing long, curved blades of dark bone. Wings of hellfire burned out and took form, spreading behind Chaos King Archfiend as it flew beside Drago in eerie silence (2600/2600).

"Since I used Synchro Fusionist as Synchro Material, I can add a Fusion or Polymerization Spell Card from my Deck to my hand," Drago continued. "I choose Speed Spell – Hell Fusion." An emerald-rimmed card slid from his Deck and he placed it into his hand. "Now, Chaos King Archfiend, attack Vortex the Whirlwind! _Diabolic Judgment_!" The Chaos King roared and burst towards Vortex, drawing back its scythe-blades. "When Chaos King Archfiend attacks, I can switch the attack and defense scores of all your monsters for this Battle Phase!" An infernal, burning aura surrounded Vortex, causing the avian Synchro to groan (700/2100), before a slash of Chaos King Archfiend's scythe ripped it in twain, causing Vortex to shatter.

(_Saito 5100LP 2SPC_)

"Because you destroyed Vortex the Whirlwind in battle, I can Special Summon a Level Four or lower Winged Beast from my Deck!" Saito smirked. "Come out, Mist Valley Falcon!" In a burst of swirling wind, a humanoid figure formed, a white-haired man clad in a green leather halter and kilt, wielding a sword which glowed with an icy aura and a shield set with a ruby. Dark brown wings burst from his shoulder blades as the Falcon glowered at Chaos King Archfiend (2000/1200).

"I end my turn," Drago concluded.

_**Drago 6600LP 2SPC/Saito 5100LP 2SPC**_

"I draw," Saito smiled, tearing the card from his Deck (_Drago 3SPC_) (_Saito 3SPC_).

"I open the Trap Card, Another Road!" The Trap lifted, depicting two D-Wheels leaping high into the air. "This Trap makes another path, by letting me place a Field Spell under it and having Another Road gain the Field Spell's effects! So I'll place Dragon Ravine under Another Road," he took a card ejected from his Disk and slid it into the Spell/Trap slot underneath Another Road, "and my strategy can take off!" Instantly, the area around them faded and was replaced by canyon walls, with dragons soaring through the air all around. The two rode along what seemed to be clouds in the middle of the Dragon Ravine, and Drago looked around at the Speed World-tainted vista.

"So, what does this do?" he asked.

"I activate the effect of Dragon Ravine via Another Road!" Saito smiled. "By tossing a card," he calmly placed a copy of Spiritual Wind Art – Miyabi into his Graveyard, "I can either add a Level Four or less Dragunity from my Deck to my hand, or send a Dragon-Type from my Deck to the Graveyard. This turn, I'll go for the former!" Dragunity Legionnaire slipped from his Deck. "I summon Dragunity Legionnaire!" Taking up the card, he immediately slashed it onto his D-Wheel's card panel. In a screaming whirlwind, another bird-man appeared, diving out of the canyon to hover beside him.

Legionnaire clenched his fists, clad in a white tunic and kilt, with golden bracers and greaves. Emerald wings spread behind him as he slid into a battle-ready position, raising his fists (1200/800). "When Legionnaire is Normal Summoned, I can equip a Level Three or below Dragunity Dragon to him from my Graveyard, like Dragunity Javelin!" Legionnaire raised a hand, and a large javelin appeared in it, gold trimmed in purple. "Finally, I use Dragunity Legionnaire's effect, sending a Dragunity from my Spell and Trap Zone to the Graveyard to destroy one of your face-up monsters!" Drago's eyes widened as Legionnaire drew back its arm and hurled the javelin forwards, impaling it through Chaos King Archfiend and shattering the demonic Synchro into black shards, before the javelin itself shattered.

"No," Drago snarled softly, he was defenseless.

"Dragunity Legionnaire, direct attack!" The Legionnaire shrieked a battle cry and raced forwards, hammering a fist into Drago's shoulder and shuddering the young man's D-Wheel with the impact.

(_Drago 5400LP 2SPC_)

"For Mist Valley Falcon to attack, I have to send one of my cards back to the owner's hand," Saito commented, "so I'll return my Legionnaire." Dragunity Legionnaire transformed into emerald energy and flew back to the D-Wheeler's hand, where it reformed into a card. "Now, Falcon, direct attack the player!" Mist Valley Falcon soared back and spun, slashing with his blade across Drago, who snarled in pain.

(_Drago 3400LP 6SPC_)

"_What_?" Saito exclaimed as he read off the Speed Counter gauge. Drago smiled, holding up a card.

"I used Death Accel," he explained. "With this, when I take damage, I don't lose Speed Counters and instead I gain a Counter for every five-hundred points of damage I took." He rapidly accelerated, slipping Death Accel into his Graveyard and passing his opponent as Mist Valley Falcon swooped back to Saito.

"I end my turn with a face-down," the D-Wheeler muttered, placing the card into his D-Wheel's card panel.

_**Drago 3400LP 6SPC/Saito 5100LP 3SPC**_

"I draw," Drago smiled (_Drago 7SPC_) (_Saito 4SPC_).

"I activate Speed Spell – Angel Baton." He pulled two cards from his Deck and promptly slipped a copy of Stygian Street Patrol into the Graveyard. "Next, Speed Spell – Repulse Rebirth!" The Spell appeared, depicting an Evocator Chevalier holding his blade aloft towards a burning comet in the sky. "Due to the effect of Repulse Rebirth, I can Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard whose Level is equal to or lower than my Speed Counters." In a surge of radiance, The Light – Hex-Sealed Fusion reappeared beside him (1000/1600).

"Why would you... wait, you're Synchro Summoning again!" Saito exclaimed.

"Wrong, actually," Drago replied quite calmly, smiling as he played a Spell Card. "I activate Speed Spell – Hell Fusion!" A second Spell formed, this one showing Elemental Heroes Sparkman and Clayman fading into an inferno of violet flame amidst the aura of Speed World, with a hulking shadow behind them framed by lightning bolts. "Hell Fusion lets me fuse together materials for a monster which can only be summoned via Dark Fusion, like my Elemental Hero Sparkman," a bolt of lightning struck in a flash, leaving behind a golden-armored hero wearing a blue bodysuit under the armor, his face covered by a mirrored visor and sparks flickering around his hands, "and my Hex-Sealed Fusion counting for Elemental Hero Clayman," the monster reformed into a glowing, golden image of the blocky golem-hero, "to summon...!"

Violet flame consumed the two monsters and their silhouettes swirled into one as their cries of pain and despair sounded, then lightning flashed and thunder boomed.

"_Injustice, beware the darkness of the clouds and the thunder roaring overhead! The bolts which connect heaven and earth carry a devil to punish your sins! Fusion Summon! Roar, Evil Hero Lightning Golem__!" _Drago called out, raising a hand towards the suddenly turbulent heavens.

Shining bolts struck into the flame as one, blinding the two with radiance, before fading and leaving only a single silhouette, which emerged. A colossal figure, coated in crackling lightning, stepped forwards, glaring at Saito through his visor as he clenched his fists, jagged lightning-shaped spikes adorning his heavy battle armor (2400/1500).

"Evil Hero?" Saito echoed. "That makes no sense! How can a hero be evil?"

"One can't protect their loved ones only with kindness," Drago murmured. "Evil Hero Lightning Golem's effect! Once per turn, I can destroy any monster you have in play! _Voltic Ball_!" The sphere of crackling darkness formed between Lightning Golem's massive hands and shot at Mist Valley Falcon, shattering the monster on impact. "Lightning Golem, direct attack on the player! _Hell Lightning_!" Lightning Golem raised his hand and cast bolts of crimson lightning from it towards Saito...

"Trap Card, open!" the other D-Wheeler called out. "Scrap-Iron... wait, why won't it activate?" His Trap Card remained resolutely face-down.

"Scrap-Iron Scarecrow," Drago replied. "That card targets, and due to Hell Fusion's effect, monsters summoned by it gain immunity to targeting effects during that turn. So my Lightning Golem's attack goes through!" The crimson lightning struck Saito, who cried out in pain as he was briefly consumed by an unearthly crimson flash of aura.

(_Saito 2700LP 2SPC_)

The light faded, and Drago took one of the two cards left in his hand, slotting it into his Disk. "I place a face-down and end my turn." The reversed card appeared beside him and faded away.

_**Drago 3400LP 7SPC/Saito 2700LP 2SPC**_

"Draw," Saito snapped, wincing slightly, clearly the Hell Lightning had hit hard (_Drago 8SPC_) (_Saito 3SPC_).

"I activate the effect of Dragon Ravine via Another Road, and use the second effect, discarding a card to send a Dragon-Type from my Deck to the Graveyard!" He placed Speed Spell – Acceleration Draw into the Graveyard, before taking Dragunity Brandistock from his Deck and sliding it into the slot.

"Now I summon Dragunity Legionnaire!" The emerald-winged soldier descended from above, clenching his fists (1200/800), "and I equip him with Dragunity Brandistock!" Legionnaire raised his hand and a short pole arm topped by a bladed point appeared in it. "I send Brandistock to the Graveyard to destroy your Lightning Golem!" Legionnaire hurled the weapon at Evil Hero Lightning Golem...

"I activate the Trap Card, End of Gluttony!" Drago countered, raising a hand. "This renders one of my Evil Hero Fusion Monsters immune to destruction by card effects for this turn!" Lightning Golem calmly raised a hand, burning with infernal power, and caught the Aklys-javelin, crushing it in his hand until it burst into pixels.

"I end my turn with a face-down," Saito finally muttered, after staring at Lightning Golem for a short while, the reverse card appearing before him. The aura from End of Gluttony faded away from Lightning Golem's form.

_**Drago 3400LP 8SPC/Saito 2700LP 3SPC**_

"I draw," Drago called (_Drago 9SPC_) (_Saito 4SPC_).

"I summon Fiendog!" With a mechanical snarl, the black, demonic robot hound leapt from the air and began running beside him, growling darkly (800/1200). "Now, Lightning Golem, destroy his Legionnaire! _Voltic Ball_!" The sphere of crackling darkness ripped from the Fusion Monster's hands and struck Dragunity Legionnaire, obliterating it. "Direct attack with _Hell Lightning_!" _"Almost there... then hopefully whatever__ that girl is won't be a risk to him..."_

"Open Trap – Descending Lost Star!"

Drago swore under his breath. _"Why can they never just go along with what's best?"_

"Descending Lost Star brings back a Synchro from my Graveyard in defense mode with zero defense and one less Level!" Saito declared as Vortex the Whirlwind burst from a corona of shimmering light (2100/0/Level 4).

"_If I call off Lightning Golem's attack now, I'll lose it for the turn and do nothing..._"Drago thought bitterly. "Lightning Golem, destroy Vortex the Whirlwind!" The crimson lightning bolts struck Vortex the Whirlwind, flaying it apart into pixels.

"I use Vortex the Whirlwind's effect to Special Summon my second Dragunity Legionnaire!" From the pixel remains came a twin of the monster that Lightning Golem had already destroyed earlier in the turn (1200/800).

"I end my turn," the Evil Hero-user muttered.

_**Drago 3400LP 9SPC/Saito 2700LP 4SPC**_

"I draw," Saito said, smiling as he saw the card, so much so he barely registered the speed increase which followed (_Drago 10SPC_) (_Saito 5SPC_).

"I summon the Tuner Monster, Debris Dragon!" With a soft shriek, a pale dragon whelp with a long, pointed nose and dark wings appeared from a whirling cyclone (1000/2000). "When Debris Dragon is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a monster with five-hundred or less attack points from the Graveyard!" Debris Dragon shrieked again, causing Dragunity Tribus to form from a flash of emerald light (500/300).

"And I Tune my Level Four Debris Dragon, to my Level Three Dragunity Legionnaire and my Level One Dragunity Tribus, to Synchro Summon...!" Debris Dragon shrieked for the third time, bursting into four emerald stars which shone as they expanded into rings. The two bird-men leapt upwards, sinking into the rings and shattering into four more stars, which aligned. Finally emerald light shot down from the heavens and consumed the Synchro Summon...

"_The strong have the right to dominate the weak, as knights rule over peasants! The weak shall tremble in the presence of the strongest Dragunity Knight! Synchro Summon! Obliterate, Dragunity Knight Barcha!"_

A pair of immense black, green-trimmed wings exploded open, shattering the Synchro Summon to reveal a massive emerald-armored, serpentine form. The colossal dragon descended, roaring as it spread its arms and wings out wide, black armor coating its torso, its visible scales a deep purple hue. Astride its back, an emerald-armored bird-man brandished a lance, shouting a battle-cry to the heavens (2000/1200).

"I activate Dragunity Knight Barcha's effect! When he's Synchro Summoned, I can equip as many Dragon-Type Dragunities as I like to him from the Graveyard! I choose Javelin, Partisan, and Brandistock!" The short sword, the javelin and the pole arm formed, attaching to the mount's armor within reach of the rider. "And Barcha gains three-hundred points for each!" The colossal Synchro began to glow with energy (2900/1200).

"No..." Drago muttered.

"Barcha, attack his Lightning Golem!" Saito commanded. Dragunity Knight Barcha burst forwards, and with a stab of the rider's lance, Lightning Golem shattered into pixels, the impact hammering Drago.

(_Drago 2900LP 10SPC_)

"Because Brandistock is equipped to Barcha, it can attack twice! Destroy his Fiendog!" The emerald dragon's claws lashed, and Fiendog was ripped in twain, shattering into a burst of sparks as the claws tore across Drago, making him cry out in pain.

(_Drago 800LP 8SPC_)

"Because you destroyed Fiendog, I can bring back an Elemental Hero and a Spell Card for a Fusion Summon from my Graveyard," Drago groaned, taking Sparkman and Speed Spell – Hell Fusion from his Graveyard. Barcha retreated to Saito's side as the D-Wheeler smirked.

"Turn end," he chuckled. _"This is nearly done..."_

_**Drago 800LP 8SPC/Saito 2700LP 5SPC**_

"_How can I stop him now? I can't summon a monster strong enough to... no! I have to win this... otherwise things could be far worse," _Drago thought as he drew(_Drago 9SPC_) (_Saito 6SPC_).

His eyes fell to the card he had drawn, and widened in shock, flashing golden. _"You..."_

"Are you going to make a move, or are you just going to put your hand over your Deck now?" Saito asked. Drago smiled as he looked up at his opponent, taking a card from his Graveyard.

"I remove Stygian Street Patrol in my Graveyard from play," he said, taking the card gracefully and sliding it into the slot on his card panel, "to let me Special Summon a Fiend with two-thousand or less attack points from my hand. I summon..." He took _that _card from his hand and slashed it onto the card panel... _"Yubel!"_

Something appeared beside him, looking like a black, leathery cocoon, before it opened, revealed as the wings of Drago's monster. As the wings spread, it was cast into light, an androgynous humanoid form, half-white and half-black with shades of purple running across its arms and right shin. Below its wild white and black hair, a baleful yellow eye glared from its forehead, and below that two more eyes glowed, one orange, one lime. Yubel smirked darkly at Drago's opponent, before glancing to the man himself with a wicked smile on its face (0/0).

"What the _hell _is that thing?" Saito asked, seeming somewhere between disbelief and laughter. "A Level Ten with zero attack points? Are you screwing with me?"

"No. I'm deadly serious," Drago retorted, playing two cards in quick succession. "I summon Sparkman," a bolt of lightning struck, coalescing into the hero of light and thunder (1600/1400), "and set a face-down, then end my turn." Upon these words being spoken, Yubel turned to Sparkman, leering darkly as it reached out. The instant it made contact, Sparkman convulsed, armor fracturing before he burst into a dark mist which flowed into the androgynous fiend.

"What?"

"In each of my End Phases," Saito's opponent explained, "I have to Release a monster or destroy Yubel."

_**Drago 800LP 9SPC/Saito 2700LP 6SPC**_

"I draw," Saito called, tearing the card from his Deck with a smirk (_Drago 10SPC_) (_Saito 7SPC_) as Drago's face-down lifted up.

"I activate Battle Mania," he smiled. "This forces all the monsters you have out right now to attack in this turn's Battle Phase."

"Are you _trying _to lose?" the incredulous Saito questioned. "If that's what you want, I'll give it to you! Dragunity Knight Barcha, attack Yubel!" The instant the command left his mouth, Drago smirked and he knew he'd made some kind of terrible mistake.

Regardless, the Dragunity Knight erupted forwards, drawing back its lance. As it stabbed for the Fiend, Yubel raised a hand, and the blow was stopped by a wall of thorny vines which burst up around it, forming a cocoon around the androgynous monster as it smirked and gave a dark laugh.

"Yubel cannot be destroyed in battle," Drago explained, "and I take no Battle Damage when she battles." He smiled slightly. "Instead, you take the Battle Damage."

The lance was drawn back when the rider realized the attack was useless, only for the cocoon to burst apart and all the vines to shoot at Saito, plowing into him and lashing him with their thorny lengths.

_**Drago 800LP 10SPC/Saito 0LP 5SPC**_

The two D-Wheels skidded to a halt and the monsters faded away, Yubel lingering for a second. Drago smiled and nodded to her, the Fiend nodding slightly in return and giving a mischievous smirk as she faded into nothingness. The Evil Hero-user's eyes brightened from golden to their usual brown, and he regarded Saito.

The other members of the D-Wheeler group pulled up around him, offering words of support, curses at his loss, and other group comforts.

"Our wager stands," Drago called to them. "You leave Akina alone, Saito."

"Screw you... that card is absolute bull," Saito spat. "I never heard of anything so broken before in my..."

"Just because Yubel turns power back on its user does not make her broken, Saito," Drago snapped. "If you want to complain about Yubel, why not complain about Honest or Half Counter, they do pretty much the same. Our. Wager. Stands." His eyes flashed golden for an instant, and all of the D-Wheelers before him froze, suddenly feeling stabs of fear. "Am I clear?"

"Uh... yes?" Saito quickly answered. He and the other D-Wheelers quickly departed, wanting to get as far away from this strange young man as possible. Drago stood and stared after them with a sigh, before taking Yubel's card in his hand and staring down at it.

"Thank you." He glanced back, startled, to see Akina, the young woman looking at him neutrally. "Thank you for that."

"It was nothing... I could see he was irritating you," Drago replied, quickly placing Yubel's card back onto his Deck.

"Yes, he was," she agreed. "And who knows what might have happened?" There was a slight smile on her face which made this innocent statement far more threatening and sinister. The fact that even from where he stood, several meters away from her, Drago could feel the cold aura emanating from her form only made this worse.

"What indeed?" he finally replied, causing her to chuckle slightly. "Truth be told, I quite enjoyed that." She smiled.

"I'm glad I got to give you some entertainment, then. It's a pretty cold night for that... I hope it heats up soon." Her eyes seemed to flash as she spoke. "Anyway... I need to get going. Maybe I'll see you around." With that, she turned and walked away, but Drago's mind was stewing with thoughts...

_'I hope it heats up soon...'_

SS09

_**Card Stats:**_

_**Monsters:**_

Mirror Resonator  
LIGHT/ Fiend/Tuner /Level 1/ATK: 0/DEF: 0  
If your opponent controls a Synchro Monster(s) and you control no Synchro Monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. This card's Level is the same as 1 Synchro Monster your opponent controls.

(Mirror Resonator was first used by Jack in the 5D's episode 'Clashing Souls!' Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's.)

SS09

Dragunity Knight Barcha  
WIND/ Dragon/Synchro/Effect /Level 8/ATK: 2000/DEF: 1200  
1 Dragon-Type Tuner + 1 or more Winged Beast-Type non-Tuner monsters  
When this card is Synchro Summoned, you can select any number of Dragon-Type "Dragunity" monsters in your Graveyard and equip them as Equip Cards to this card. This card gains 300 ATK for each "Dragunity" Equip Card equipped to this card.

(Dragunity Knight Barcha was released in Duel Terminal – Pulse of the Trishula in the OCG. It will be released later this year in Hidden Arsenal 4: Trishula's Triumph.)

_**Spells:**_

Constrec Element  
Quick-Play Spell Card  
Image: A bolt of lightning flashing down and splitting a hero into two halves, one half Elemental Hero Gaia, the other Elemental Hero Great Tornado.  
Return any number of "Elemental Hero" Fusion Monsters you control to the Extra Deck and Special Summon that many "Elemental Hero" Fusion Monsters from your Extra Deck with the same Level as the returned monsters. (This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon.)

(Constrec Element was first used by Judai in the GX manga chapter 'The Threat of the Sun!' Creative credit for it goes to the writers of the GX manga.)

SS09

Speed Spell – Repulse Rebirth  
Normal Spell Card  
Image: Evocator Chevalier standing in Speed World and holding his blade aloft towards a comet shooting over the sky.  
Activate only while you have 4 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 monster in your Graveyard whose Level is equal to or lower than your Speed Counters and Special Summon it. That monster cannot attack and is removed from play in the End Phase.  
SS09  
Speed Spell – Hell Fusion  
Normal Spell Card  
Image: Elemental Heroes Sparkman and Clayman fading into an inferno of violet flame within Speed World as a silhouette of Evil Hero Lightning Golem looms over them from behind, framed by lightning.  
This card is treated as 'Dark Fusion' while it is in your Deck or Graveyard. Activate only when you have 4 or more Speed Counters. Send, from your hand or your side of the field to the Graveyard Fusion Material Monsters listed on an 'Evil Hero' Fusion Monster and Special Summon that Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck (this Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon with 'Dark Fusion'). The Special Summoned monster cannot be targeted by your opponent's card effects this turn.

(The above two cards are my own inventions and creative credit for them goes to me. Speed Spell – Repulse Rebirth was first used in the original Seven Spirits chapter 'Sonic Psychic, Hyper Drive Dragons'.)

_**Traps:**_

Another Road  
Continuous Trap Card  
Image: Two D-Wheelers leaping high into the air.  
This card can only be activated when there is a field spell card on the field. After activation, you may take one field spell card from your deck and place it underneath this card. As long as this card is face up on the field, this card has the effects of the field card placed underneath it.

(Another Road was created by fellow fanfic author Lux-Nero. Creative credit for it goes to him, as does thanks for letting me use it.)

SS09

Death Accel  
Normal Trap Card  
Image: A D-Wheeler in a black and orange helmet gritting his teeth as he rides along at high speed.  
You can activate this card when you receive Battle Damage through an opposing monster's attack. The damage from this battle does not decrease your Speed Counters and adds 1 Speed Counter for each 500 point intervals of Battle Damage you received.

(Death Accel was first used by Mukuro Enjo in the 5D's episode 'Flame Revenger: Speed King – Skull Flame'. Creative credit for it goes to the writers of 5D's. It was known as Doom Accelerator in the dub.)

SS09

End of Gluttony  
Normal Trap Card  
Image: Evil Hero Dark Gaia catching a powerful energy blast in his hands and letting it soak into his palms.  
Select 1 'Evil Hero' Fusion Monster you control. The selected monster cannot be destroyed by your opponent's card effects during this turn. You cannot Special Summon 'Evil Hero' monsters this turn.

(End of Gluttony is my own invention and creative credit for it goes to me. Credit for inspiration goes to Square Enix.)

SS09

_**Featured Card:**_

_Dragunity Knight Barcha, Yubel, Evil Hero Lightning Golem, Another Road, Chaos King Archfiend_

Today's featured card is **Chaos King Archfiend**. This powerful Synchro Monster can only be summoned with a Fiend-Type Tuner, but it makes up for that with a powerful effect, the power to switch the points scores of your opponent's monsters when it attacks. With this card in play, you can take a strong offensive field and reduce it to cannon fodder for your monsters to rip apart and leave your opponent's Life Points in tatters. Or you can take a seemingly-unbreakable barricade of defensive monsters, and blast it to rubble. Either way, Chaos King Archfiend is a worthy investment if your Deck has the right Tuner Monsters to bring it out.

SS09

Next time on Seven Spirits, the forces are converging. Neo Domino is about to change, and things may never be the same again for our heroes. To find the truth, sometimes, you have to descend into the darkness... and that's right where Julian's headed in search of the Vessels and Black Flare...

It's Chapter 10 – Contract with the Abyss...


End file.
